ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 17 



so indulging in a series of evolutions as beautiful 

 as they are curious. 



Almost as closely associated with the home- 

 steads as the Sparrow and the Starling, we must 

 now dwell briefly on the Swallows and the Swift. 

 In Yorkshire and Derbyshire it is considered a 

 good omen for the " Swallows " to fix on the 

 homestead for a nesting-place, and few are the 

 people that will seek to drive the little creatures 

 away. Perhaps the commonest species is the 

 HOUSE MARTIN (Chelidon urbica], distinguished widely 

 from the Swallow by its white rump and shorter 

 tail. It arrives in April and departs in September 

 or October. It is eminently a gregarious bird, 

 and all through the period of its stay is seen in 

 gatherings of varying size. Numbers of its nests 

 are also placed close together. Few things are 

 more pleasing in the spring than to note the 

 return of this pretty, harmless bird to its old 

 haunts. There, high up in the blue sky, it may 

 be seen, flitting to and fro the livelong day, or 

 paying fitful visits to its nest under the eaves. 



The Martin pairs for life, and each year the 

 old nest is used for family purposes. In May the 

 little birds are busy enough, some repairing their 

 old nests, others building new ones. The 

 Martin's home is one of the most curious of all 

 our British nests, and none are exposed more 

 openly. It is made under the eaves, the copings, 

 or chimney ledges, at the side of windows, on 

 palaces and cottages, and even on the rocks, with 

 no attempt at concealment whatever, just as 

 though the little architects were well aware that 

 they were safe from molestation. To the honour 

 of the British urchin, who is only too prone to 



