334 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



lively though not varied song, being, in fact, a sustained twitter. 

 The shell of the nest is about an inch in thickness, and the mixed 

 mud and haj are arranged in regular layers. Owing to the thick- 

 ness, and the complicated structure of the nest, a full week is re- 

 quired for its completion. The form of the nest is nearly that of 

 an inverted cone, being flattened on the side which is set against 

 the wall or rock. The bird is of gregarious habits, and twenty 

 or thirty nests are often seen so close together that a finger could 

 scarcely be placed between them. 



Fortunately for itself, this bird is protected by popular super- 

 stition, which attributes all kinds of ill luck to the person who 

 kills one of them. Wilson remarks that, in consequence of long 

 immunity, they feel so secure among human habitations, that, al- 

 though the woods may be destitute of them, every farm-house is 

 sure to attract them. There is scarcely a barn in which they 

 will not build ; and right glad is the farmer when they take pos- 

 session of a building, for, according to popular belief, such a build- 

 ing will never be injured by lightning. He farther mentions 

 that a farmer said that, if he were to permit his swallows to be 

 shot, all his cows would give bloody milk ; to which remark Wil- 

 son merely nodded assent, being unwilling to disturb any feeling, 

 however superstitious, which had for its object the protection of 

 useful birds. , 



We have several builders among our British birds, the best 

 known of which is the common House Martin (Chelidon urbica), 

 whose nests are so plentiful upon the walls of our houses. 



The material of which the nests are built is a kind of mud, 

 which becomes tolerably hard when dry, and is strong enough 

 to exist for a series of years, and to serve for the bringing up of 

 many successive broods. The bird is exceedingly capricious as 

 to the spot which it selects for its residence, some houses being 

 crowded with the mud-built nests, while others are free from 

 them. The points of the compass are always noted by the Mar- 

 tin, for there are some points which it clearly detests, while it is 

 equally fond of others. A wall with a northeastern aspect is a 

 favorite locality, while a southern wall is seldom chosen, proba- 

 bly because the heat of the meridian sun might dry the mud too 

 quickly, or might cause inconvenience to the young birds. 



My own house, however, forms an exception to the general 

 rule, for the Martins have chosen to build on the south wall only, 



