522 



PERCHING BIRDS. 



festly unwilling to cross the hills until the clouds had lifted. Unless interfered 

 with, the swallows that come to England build their mud-nests in the same corners 

 many successive years, the nest being generally placed in a situation which affords 

 some support. Nests in trees are very rare ; yet the bird does not always require 

 a ledge or shelf for its nest, as in Germany we have seen a good many built in 

 outhouses. The nest is lined with feathers and dry grass ; and the first brood 



IF 1 ' 11 



CHIMNEY-SWALLOW AND HOUSE-MARTIN (\ liat. size). 



will leave it as a rule during the last days of June, while the second broods are 

 able to fly before August has expired. Some birds even rear late broods during 

 October, but the struggle for existence among the young has then become very 

 severe. The swallow lays from four to six eggs, white in ground-colour, and 

 spotted with brown and grey. The male in summer has the forehead and throat 

 chestnut, a band on the breast, and the upper -parts steel-blue, glossed with 

 purple ; while the tail-feathers are spotted with white, and the under-parts pink 

 or white. 



