50 BAEN SWALLOW 



identify him beyond question. Like the Swift 

 (see Fig. 7, p. 25) and Hummingbird, the Swal- 

 lows live in air and feed when flying, and so have 

 undeveloped perching feet (compare Figs. 20, 21), 

 unfitted for walking ; nevertheless they 

 sometimes condescend to visit the earth 

 for nesting materials and the lime 

 FIG. 20. which they need to harden their egg- 

 Weak foot shells. Their eggs, like those of the 



of Bam Eave Swallow, are white, heavily spot- 

 Swallow. , , .,, , 



ted with brown. 



If you watch a row of Swallows 

 perched on a telegraph wire, you will 

 hear the bright, happy warble which 

 FIG. 21. adds so much to their attractiveness. 

 Strong foot j n addition to this twittering song, 

 Sparrow their call note is said to be a " soft 

 and affectionate witt, witt, and the cry 

 given in time of danger a harsh trrrr, trrrr" 



The homely old proverb, " One Swallow does 

 not make a summer," shows how intimately these 

 birds are associated with the close of winter. As 

 Mr. Nehrling puts it, in his enthusiastic way : 

 " We welcome their first appearance with de- 

 light, as the faithful harbingers of flowery spring 

 and ruddy summer ; and when, after a long 

 frost-bound and boisterous winter, we hear it an- 

 nounced that ' the Swallows have come,' what a 

 train of charming ideas are associated with the 

 simple tidings ! " 



