BIRDS. 41 



Undoubtedly a nocturnal bird of tiie Picus tribe, 

 1 was told by an old countryman of mine, who 

 lives in a district called the Royal Grant, that he 

 had heard the nightingale, but this I am persuaded 

 was a mistake. It was, he said, a night bird very 

 small, and never distinctly visible. Dr. Mitcliill 

 told me lie observed notes which he took to be the 

 nightingale's one night at Wood Creek, but this 

 I believe was the same song which I heard on the 

 canal. 



There are four species of swallows here, the 

 same number as in Great Britain, and I believe 

 they go by the same names, although specifically 

 distinct. 



Hirundo Rustica House Swallow. 

 Hirundo Pelasgia Chimney Swallow. 

 Hirundo Purpurea Martin. 

 Hirundo Riparia Bank Swallow. 

 The Chimney Swallow is different frpm ibi 

 congeners ; it has no furcated tail. It is a wild 

 bird, and nestles in chimnies and hollow tree?, 

 I hear it descend the chimney of the room in 

 which I sleep every night , its operations are 

 incessant, and its chattering never ending. I 

 have reason to think that there are more species 

 of swallows in this country, than those enumera- 

 ted. The Caprimulgns Virginianus or IVkip 

 Poor-will., is a very singular bird. It Is unknown 



