346 OUR NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



repose, when visiting Crux Easton on an evening 

 in the middle of September." 



It is not only while they remain in the nest, 

 that young swallows are constant objects of the 

 solicitude of their parents. Much pains is taken in 

 teaching them to fly, arid to capture their insect 

 prey. For several days successively tlie young 

 birds are conducted up the shaft of the chimney 

 to its summit, and there they sit, surveying the 

 world around them, while their parents procure 

 and bring them food. Their next step in pro- 

 gress, is to take a short flight to some leafless 

 bough of a tree, and sitting there in rows, they 

 receive their meal from the older birds. Soon, 

 however, they learn to trust their strong wings, 

 and to wheel about in those graceful circles com- 

 mon to the tribe. Even now, however, they 

 cannot always secure the insects, but the parent 

 swallows dash into the winged circles, and bring 

 away the flies, or gnats, and convey them to the 

 mouths of their young charge. 



The Martin* {Hirundo urhica), which comes to 



* The Martin is about five inches and a quarter in length. 

 Upper parts glossy blue-black ; rump, chin, and whole under 

 parts pure white; beak black; feet clothed with grey down. 



