io8 THE SWALLOW 



lay on the ground. All that day it snowed continuously, 

 ceasing only at about 7 p.m., with a fall nearly two feet 

 deep. The frost was occasionally severe during the 

 day. On the morrow, April 26, it was intensely bright, 

 and even hot in the sun, the snow disappearing very 

 quickly; but, said Mr. Poole, "I saw not a sign of either 

 Swallow r or Martin and indeed Ihey were scarce on the 

 Kennet for the rest of the season. I also noted a great 

 scarcity upon the riven Itchen, in Hampshire." 



A lady also tells me that near Lynn in Norfolk, during 

 the great cold, the hungry Swallows came down on her 

 garden lawn and picked up the scattered crumbs of 

 bread. 



Probably numbers perished of cold and hunger. As 

 Swallows live entirely on insects, the diminution in 

 their numbers is a serious matter. 



It is sometimes necessary, in order to preserve the 

 proper order of things, to describe what every one 

 knows. The most striking characteristics of the 

 Swallow, which distinguish it from its congeners are 

 as follows : Brow and throat a beautiful chestnut brown ; 

 breast, back, wings, and tail a fine black with a bluish 

 metallic lustre. With regard to the tail however, only 

 the two middle feathers are pure black, on the others 

 small whitish specks are discernible. The outer tail- 

 feathers form a long pronged fork. The underparts are 

 sometimes white, sometimes brownish. The beak is 

 very small, the gape wide. The open jaw forms a kind 

 of little pocket. The legs are small with sharp claws 

 suitable for grasping. 



