158 SWALLOWS. 



one great dwelling. A photograph of part of a colon; 

 of Cliff Swallows in Montana shows one hundred an< 

 forty nests, nearly all of which adjoin one another. 



The songs of Swallows are humble efforts, but are s< 

 expressive of the happy dispositions of the birds, and s< 

 associated with scenes with which they are inseparabl; 

 connected, that the merry twitterings of these birds ar 

 as dear to us as the voices of friends. 



The sociability of Swallows does not end with th 

 nesting season, as it does with many birds that are thei 

 brought into communities by force of circumstances 

 When the young take wing, Swallows begin to collec 

 in flocks, which gradually unite, and in August and Sep 

 tember form assemblages containing millions of individ 

 uals. They generally make their headquarters in som 

 large marsh, where they roost in the reeds and grasses 

 but they also resort to trees. Early in the morning the 

 scatter over the country in small bands, flying at a con 

 siderable height, and during the day we may often se 

 them feeding over fields and ponds or resting on waysid 

 telegraph wires. Late in the afternoon they begin to re 

 turn to their roosts. At first they fly slowly and circl 

 about to feed, but as the light fails they fly with increas 

 ing swiftness, and the last comers shoot through the dusl 

 with incredible rapidity. 



These remarks apply with equal truth to all our Swal 

 lows ; it remains now to briefly mention the character 

 by which they may be distinguished specifically. Th 

 four common species are figured in the frontispiece 

 which clearly shows most of their diagnostic marks 

 which are : Tail forked, Barn Swallow ; forehead whit 

 ish, rump rusty, Cliff Swallow ; a band across the breasl 

 plumage without metallic colors, Bank Swallow ; breas 

 pure white, Tree Swallow. 



