474 BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. [Pub. Doc. 



Family Hirundinidcv. — The Swallows. 



Even previous to the injury done by the destructive rain 

 storms of June, 1903, it seems probable that the swallow 

 family was represented by far fewer colonies and individ- 

 uals in Massachusetts than it was thirty to forty years ago. 

 Many observers have seen a decrease in some species Avithin 

 ten years. Some report a gradual decrease of all species, 

 while comparatively few report an increase, except of the 

 tree swallow. This species was greatly diminished in the 

 winter of 1895 by a cold wave in the south, and since then 

 has been recovering its numbers, which may account for 

 the increase noted locally. Twelve observers report an in- 

 crease of the bird, eighteen report numbers unchanged, and 

 thirty-two report a decrease. The increase comes mainly 

 in Hampden, Franklin and Berkshire counties. Although 

 some persons in these counties report this swallow to be de- 

 creasing, the reports of decrease are distributed generally 

 among all the counties on the mainland. 



Eleven observers report an increase of barn swallows, 

 twenty-one report that their numl^ers are as usual, and forty- 

 one report a decrease. Franklin is the only county in 

 which the reports of increase outnumber those of decrease. 

 In this county also and in Middlesex and Essex counties 

 there are the greatest number of reports that the bird is 

 holding its own. From Middlesex there are nine reports of 

 a decrease, but also eight that the numbers have not changed. 

 Two report an increase. All reports from Suffolk County 

 indicate a decrease, as might be expected from the accession 

 of population ; but the same is true of Plymouth County, 

 where there are few cities. 



The cliff swallow or eave swallow is reported by onl}^ 

 eight observers as increasing, as holding its own by sixteen, 

 and decreasing or extinct by thirty-two. Most of those 

 who find the cliff swallow decreasing agree that this has 

 been going on for twenty to thirty years. This bird was 

 originally a native of the west, where it built its mud nests 

 on cliffs overhanging rivers. Its eastern movement, which 

 began in the time of Audubon (when it followed civilization 



