162 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



yet it has a very pleasing and melodious warble ; it 

 chiefly indulges in this early in the morning, even 

 long before sunrise, or towards evening, and it is quite 

 in keeping with the gentle character of the bird. 



By what extraordinary instinct do the swallow and 

 its congeners ascertain what weather is prevailing in 

 this country, for such really seems to be the case ? In 

 some years, when the season has been backward, I have 

 remarked a few pairs only arrive, and even these have 

 seemed after a day or two to disappear. In the year 

 1849 the spring was particularly backward; April was 

 cold and bleak, and unfavourable to the development 

 of insect life ; and not until the 1 1th of May did any of the 

 hirundines make their appearance, on which day I first 

 noted a few pairs of the common swallow and the 

 house martin, but the main body did not arrive until 

 three days afterwards. This was no local occurrence, 

 for the same ungenial weather was general throughout 

 England. In 1847 I noticed the same phenomenon, 

 under precisely similar circumstances as regards the 

 weather. A few pairs arrived on the 29th of April, but 

 immediately departed, and I saw no more until the 4th 

 of May, when I remarked a single pair of swallow.s ; but 

 these were not joined by the main body until the 6th. 



By what mysterious system of telegraphy was the 

 intelligence conveyed to the southern voyagers that their 

 journey had better be delayed for a time ? We boast of 

 our wisdom and intelligence, but how little able are we 

 to elucidate facts like these. 



During the time of building I have often seen the 

 swallows frequent the gutters, or any wet place in the 

 village street, from whence they obtain the mud for 

 their nests ; their feet, however, and short legs do not 



