LIL 



SWIFT. CHIMNEY SWALLOW. MAETIN. 



(Cypselus apus.) (Hirundo rustica.} (Chelidon urbica.) 



THERE are not many of the Swallow tribe here. It may be 

 because there are not so many house-flies and bluebottles as 

 elsewhere, nor mud for them to build their nests of. There is 

 little traffic to make mud, few inhabitants to fill dust-bins with 

 superfluous food gone to waste, or butchers' shops for the pro- 

 duction and maintenance of flies. 



Early in summer I have seen a Swift fly about here for a 

 few hours and go away again, and once some Martins came when 

 the new house was built, fluttered about the windows, and, not 

 finding it to their liking, departed, much to my disappoint- 

 ment. When we lived for some years at Ardmillan, in Ayrshire, 

 almost every window in the house had Martins' nests at the 

 lintels and every coigne of vantage. It was there that the nest 

 in the illustration was done. 



Three or four pair of Chimney Swallows come here annually 

 and build in the cart-shed, boat-house, or such like places. As 

 a substitute for mud they have been seen to use cow- dung. 

 Some workmen said they saw Swallows come when the cows 

 had been let out, and bring straws, which they dragged through 

 the freshly- dropped dung several times, then carry them to the 

 nest they were building in a neighbouring shed. 



Two years ago a pair of Swallows appeared with breasts of a 

 more distinct buff- tint than usual, and built a nest in the coal- 

 house and laid two eggs, then got disturbed and deserted. They 

 have not returned. 



H 113 



