SWALLOWS. 521 



much elongated, and comparatively narrow, consisting of only nine primaries, of 

 which the two outer ones are about equal in length, although the inner ones 

 decrease, while the secondaries are very short. The feet are small and weak, and 

 very imperfectly adapted for progression ; while the tail consists of twelve feathers. 

 and is generally forked. As a family, the swallows are cosmopolitan, some species 

 entering the Arctic Circle ; the common swallow having strayed to Spitsbergen and 

 Novaia Zemlia. 



The true swallows (Hirundo) have a short, depressed bill; 



True Swallows 



their wings and tail are very long, and the outer tail-feathers of 

 the adult enormously elongated. The plumage is of a purplish blue above, 

 correlated with a more or less perfect zone on the breast. The swallows con- 

 struct their nests of tine clay, carefully welded into a compact mass, and lined 

 with feathers. 



Africa is the home of many remarkable swallows, and it is in that continent 

 that the members of the genus seem to reach their largest dimensions, the great 

 African mosque swallow {H. senegalensis) measuring upwards of nine inches in 

 length, and Monteiro's swallow (H. monteiri) being nearly as large. The elonga- 

 tion of the outer tail-feathers is most marked in the wire-tailed swallow (H. 

 siii it In), which have their shafts produced as much as seven inches, this species 

 inhabiting India and some parts of Africa. Sclater's swallow is a lovely green 

 and white bird, lately discovered in San Domingo. 



Chimney The migrations of the chimney or house-swallow (//. rustica) 



Swallow. aiK i ^s allies, have long excited the interest of mankind ; and we 

 confess to sharing in the sentiment which welcomes the return of the swallows 

 to their home in the rafters of the old barn or the cornice of their favourite 

 porch. The 6th of April is the earliest date <m which we have observed the 

 swallow migrating through Great Britain, but some forward individuals gener- 

 ally contrive to report themselves at a lighthouse or other haven of safety a 

 week or two before the arrival of the majority of their fellows. Even in the 

 autumn months we have seen a good deal of the migration of the swallows, 

 although the movements of the birds are less generally noticed at that season, 

 because their departure is extended over so many weeks. A few springs ago 

 we left the North of England, and it was only when we reached Abbeville, on the 

 14th of April, that we fell in with the first bin! flying north alone. Early on the 

 following morning at Bordeaux, we saw a flock of swallows evidently newly 

 waking up from a night of slumber ; and south of that town we continued to see 

 occasional stragglers, but never met with the species in pairs except in one or two 

 exceptional instances. On our return through France, swallows were to be 

 counted by thousands migrating between Bayonne and Bordeaux ; the actual 

 passage of these and other migrating birds being much more prolonged even in 

 the spring than is generally admitted. Whilst we were staying at the village of 

 Burguete, small parties of swallows passed very frequently ; we generally saw 

 them flying over the hills to the right and left of the Ronceveaux Pass. There 

 was no hesitation as to what they should do, at least with the great majority : 

 although we witnessed one solitary straggler approach the cloud-capped hills only 

 to swerve from its course and come flying back in a southerly direction, mani- 



m 



