252 SWALLOWS. 



The latter of the two preceding anecdotes tends to cor- 

 roborate a more bold and sagacious measure, adopted by a 

 pair of Swallows, no doubt those of the preceding year; 

 which, on arriving, found their old nest already occupied by 

 a Sparrow, who kept the poor birds at a distance, by peck- 

 ing at them with its strong beak, whenever they attempted 

 to dislodge it. Wearied, and hopeless of regaining posses- 

 sion of their own property, they, at last, hit upon a plan 

 which effectually prevented the intruder from reaping the 

 reward of his roguery. One morning they appeared with a 

 few more Swallows, their mouths distended with a supply 

 of tempered clay, and, by joint labour, in a short time, 

 actually plastered up the entrance-hole, thus punishing the 

 Sparrow with imprisonment, and death by starvation. This 

 instance of apparent reasoning occurred at a rectory-house 

 in Lancashire ; but a similar story is on record, near London, 

 of a pair of Swallows calling in the assistance of their 

 neighbours for the very same purpose. 



Swallows, too, like the Eaven, (mentioned p. 180,) and 

 probably many other birds, will, when deprived of their 

 mates, provide themselves with others, a fact of which the 

 following account, from an eye-witness, is a proof: A 

 couple of Swallows built their nest in a stable ; the female 

 laid her eggs, and was observed to continue motionless 

 beyond the time of hatching, while the male fluttered about, 

 or occasionally settled on a projecting nail, uttering plain- 

 tive notes, which induced some persons at length to examine 

 the nest, when the female was found to be dead ; she was 

 accordingly thrown away. The male then went to sit upon 

 the eggs, but after remaining about two hours, flew off, and 

 in a short time returned with another female, which sat upon 

 the eggs, and afterwards hatched and fed the young ones, 

 till they were able to provide for themselves.* 



* FORSTER'S Travels in North America. 



