260 RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



all the fulness of its soft and inexpressible beauty. The 

 young males will often warble a few notes in autumn a 

 circumstance, by the way, met with in few birds. 



The great purpose of the Swallow's visit to our 

 northern climes is the rearing of its young. The Swallow, 

 from what I have observed of its habits, I consider to 

 be a life-paired species, and therefore with unerring 

 certainty it returns to its nesting-site of the previous 

 season. The Martin returns to its old nest and again 

 uses it for its purpose ; but the Swallow returns to its 

 nesting-site alone, and builds a new nest close to the 

 one of the previous season. The Swallow has perhaps 

 never been known to build a nest in the open air. In 

 barns and outhouses, upon the beams of wood which sup- 

 port the roof, or on some stone jutting out of the wall or 

 chimney, or any other coigne of 'vantage, we find its nest. 

 In the month of May Swallows are seen hovering near 

 muddy places, and finally alighting, to procure a little 

 of the mud with which to build a part of their nest. 

 Many journeys do the little creatures perform, some- 

 times for a considerable distance, in the course of the 

 day, each time returning with a little bit of mud in their 

 beak, which they artfully mould into a cup-shaped cavity. 

 When the outside portion is finished, the birds line it 

 with a quantity of grass and feathers. Much of the 

 lining material is obtained when the birds are on the 

 wing a downy feather from the poultry yard, wafted 

 into the air by the breeze, is secured, and the straws 

 raised by a sudden gust are seized and conveyed to the 

 nest. The nest completed, four or five eggs are deposited 

 of a pure white colour, with deep rich brown blotches and 

 spots, notably at the larger end, round which they often 

 form a zone or belt. The sitting bird is fed by its mate, 

 who keeps visiting the place with joyous twittering 



