

OBSERVATIONS, &c. 



OF the various tribes of birds found in Europe, 

 there is, perhaps, no one which has more attracted 

 the attention of naturalists than the Swallow; nei* 

 ther is there any one whose natural history is less 

 understood. These birds make their first appear- 

 ance, in Great Britain, early in spring; remain 

 with us during summer, and disappear in autumn. 

 The four species which inhabit this island, are also 

 found, during summer, in almost every other 

 region in Europe and Asia, where their manners 

 and habits are pretty much the same as in this 

 country, with this exception only, that they make 

 their first appearance in spring somewhat earlier in 

 the more southern than they do in the northern 

 countries. 



The distinguishing marks of this genus are : 

 bill small ; mouth wide ; head rather large in pro- 

 portion to the bulk of the body, and somewhat 

 flattish ; neck scarcely visible ; tongue short, 



