CHIMNEY SWALLOW. 



chimneys swept previous to their making fires, and though late 

 in autumn no birds have been found there. Chimneys also which 

 have not been used have been ascended by sweeps in the winter 

 without discovering any. Indeed all of them are swept every fall 

 and winter, and I have never heard of the Swallows being found 

 in either a dead, living or torpid state. As to the court-house 

 it has been occupied as a place of worship two or three times 

 a week for several weeks past, and at those times there has been 

 fire in the stoves, the pipes of them both going into the chimney, 

 which is shut up at bottom by brick work: and as the birds had 

 forsaken that place, it remains pretty certain that they did not 

 return there; and if they did the smoke I think would be dele- 

 terous to their existence; especially as I never knew them to re- 

 sort to kitchen chimneys where fire was kept in the summer. 

 I think I have noticed them enter such chimneys for the pur- 

 pose of exploring; but I have also noticed that they immediate- 

 ly ascended, and went off, on finding fire and smoke. " 



The Chimney Swallow is easily distinguished in air from the 

 rest of its tribe here, by its long wings, its short body, the quick 

 and slight vibrations of its wings, and its wide, unexpected di- 

 ving rapidity of flight; shooting swiftly in various directions 

 without any apparent motion of the wings, and uttering the 

 sounds tsip tsip tsip tsee tsee in a hurried manner. In roost- 

 ing, the thorny extremities of its tail are thrown in for its sup- 

 port. It is never seen to alight but in hollow trees or chim- 

 neys; is always most gay and active in wet and gloomy weather, 

 and is the earliest abroad in morning, and latest out in evening 

 of all our Swallows. About the first or second week in Sep- 

 tember, they move off to the south, being often observed on 

 their route accompanied by the Purple Martins. 



When we compare the manners of these birds while here with 

 the account given by Capt. Henderson of those that winter in 

 such multitudes at Honduras, it is impossible not to be struck 

 with the resemblance; or to suppress our strong suspicions that 

 they may probably be the very same. 





