570 AVES— SWALLOW. ..MARTEN. 



sional essays, twittering with great cheerfulness. Their song is a sprightly- 

 warble, sometimes continued for a considerable time. They then pass along 

 to the south in great numbers; sometimes several hundreds pass within 

 sight in a quarter of an hour. It is highly probable that they winter in 

 Mexico and South America. They are easily tamed, and soon become gen- 

 tle and familiar. 



The barn swallow is seven inches long ; the upper parts are steel blue ; 

 the front, chin, and under parts are chesnut ; the wings and tail are black, 

 the latter greatly forked. 



THE BANK SWALLOW, OR SAND MARTENi 



Appears to be the most sociable with its kind, and the least intimate with 

 man of all our swallows, living together in communities of three or four 

 hundred. On the high sandy banks of a river, they scratch out holes for 

 their nests, running them in a horizontal direction to the depth of two' or 

 three feet. At the extremity of this hole, a little fine dry grass, with a few 

 large downy feathers, form the nest. The voice of this speines is a low 

 mutter. They are particularly fond of the shores of rivers ; they likewise 

 visit the seashore in great numbers, previous to their departure. It is the 

 same species as the European. 



The bank swallow is five inches long; the upper parts are mouse colored; 

 tne lower are white, with a band of brown across the upper part of the 

 breast. 



THE REPUBLICAN, OR CLIFF SWALLOW^ 



Is found in the western states. These birds build their nests in clusters, or 

 associations, and defend them with spirit and pertinacity. They generally 

 build on the sides of perpendicular cliffs, but sometimes under the eaves of 

 houses. There are several others of the swallow tribe inhabiting the United 

 States. 



THE EUROPEAN MARTEN. 3 



This bird, " the temple-haunting martlet," as it is denominated by Shaks- 

 peare, is inferior in size to the swallow, and its tail is much less forked. 

 The plumage, however, is nearly the same ; the upper part of the body, 



* Hirundo riparia, Lin. ^ Hirundo fulca, Bonap. 3 Hirundo urbica, Lin. 



