110 MIGRATION AND FLIGHT. 



building their nests. This has been proved by 

 marking the claws of Swallows, which were in the 

 habit of building in sheds or outhouses, where they 

 could easily be retaken on their return in the spring, 

 and examined. An instance came under our own 

 observation, of a pair of Swallows returning to build 

 for three years in a small closet in a school-house, 

 entering by a broken pane in the casement, and 

 forming their nest in a corner above the window ; 

 and as they were never disturbed, the female would 

 remain sitting, and the male fly in and out in our 

 presence. But though several broods were hatched, 

 the old birds allowed no intruders, and not a single 

 young bird was ever seen to return to the place of 

 its birth after it had once quitted the nest. 



Another instance of confidence placed in man by 

 these little birds, when unmolested, occurred at a 

 nobleman's house in Scotland. A pair of Swallows, 

 a few years ago, built their nest upon the top bar of 

 a clothes-screen in the porter's lodge, which was 

 hung up against the wall ; the young ones were 

 hatched, and flew away; the nest was suffered to 

 remain, and upon the first appearance of Swallows, 

 the year after, a male bird again entered the apart- 

 ment, and took a survey of the premises. Having 

 satisfied himself, he went off, but soon returned with 

 a companion, which at first appeared very shy and 

 timid, but in a short time acquired as much assu- 

 rance as its mate. They both forthwith set about 

 building a new nest on a small ledge, which had 

 been prepared for them, as near as possible to the 

 place where that on the clothes-screen had been 



