2 STOBIES OF BIliDS AND BEASTS 



his face and throat a beautiful ruddy buff. There 

 were so many glints of color on his steel-blue back and 

 wings, as he spread them in the sun, that it seemed as 

 if in some of his flights he must have collided with a 

 great soap-bubble, which left its shifting hues upon 

 him as it burst. 



This Barn Swallow was very much worried about 

 something, and talked so fast to his friend the Tree 

 Swallow, that his words sounded like twitters and 

 giggles ; but you would know they were words, if you 

 could only understand them. 



The Tree Swallow wore a greenish-black cloak and a 

 spotless white vest. He was trying to be polite and 

 listen to the Barn Swallow as well as to the Purple 

 Martin (the biggest Swallow of all), who was a little 

 further along on the wire ; but as they both spoke at 

 once, he found it a difficult matter. 



" We shall all be turned out, I know," complained 

 the Barn Swallow, "and after we have as good as 

 owned Orchard Farm these three years, it is too bad. 

 Those meddlesome House People have put two new 

 pieces of glass in the hayloft window, arid how shall I 

 ever get in to build my nest ? " 



" They may leave the window open," said the Bank 

 Swallow soothingly, for he had a cheerful disposition ; 

 " I have noticed that hayloft windows are usually left 

 open in warm weather." 



" Yes, they may leave it open, and then shut it some 

 day after I have gone in," snapped Barney, darting off 

 the perch to catch a fly, and grasping the wire so vio- 

 lently on his return, that the other birds fluttered and 

 almost lost their footing. 



