142 



THE EUFOUS-BELLIED SWALLOW. 



Ccan hardly fly from one end of the boat to the other. They have been even seen to settle 

 npon the surface of the waves, and to lie with outspread wings until they were able to 

 resume their journey. 



Guided by some wondrous instinct, the Swallow always finds its way back to the nest 

 which it had made, or in which it had been reared, as has frequently been proved by 

 affixing certain marks to individual birds, and watching for their return. Sometimes it 

 happens that the house on which they had built has been taken down during their absence, 

 and in that case the distress of the poor birds is quite pitiable. They fly to and fro over 

 the spot in vain search after their lost homes, and fill the air with the mournful cries that 

 tell of their sorrows. 



The Swallow is widely spread over various parts of the world, being familiarly known 

 throughout the whole of Europe, not excepting Norway, Sweden, and the northern portions 

 of the continent. It is also seen in Western Africa, and Mr. Yarrell mentions an instance 

 where it was observed in the island of St. Thomas, which is situated upon the equator. 

 The mai-tin and the swift were seen at the same place. 



The colour of the Swallow is very beautiful. Upon the forehead the feathers are of a 

 light chesnut, which gives place to deep glossy steel-blue upon the upper portions of the 

 body and wings. The primaries and secondaries are black, as are the tail feathers, with 

 the exception of a few white patches. The throat is chesnut, and a very dark-blue band 

 crosses the upper part of the chest. The under parts are white, and the beak, legs, and 

 toes black. The female is distinguished by the smaller chesnut patch on the forehead, the 

 smaller tint of the feathers, and the narrowness of the dark band across the chest. 



Many examples of white Swallows are on record, and specimens may be seen in almost 

 every collection of British birds. 



The two Swallows which next 

 come before our notice, are natives 

 of America, and are high in favour 

 -^:^^_ among the lower inhabitants of 



the land, one species taking up 

 its abode with civilized men, and 

 the other preferring, at all events 

 at present, the habitations of the 

 indigenous savage tribes. 



The Rufous-Bellied Swal- 

 low is plentifully found in the 

 United States, and is fond of 

 building its nest in outhouses and 

 barns, and is frequently furnished 

 by the kindness of the proprietor 

 with convenient boxes fastened 

 to poles or nailed on trees. It is 

 never known to build in chimneys, 

 like our own Chimney Swallow. 



The nest of this bird is rather 

 peculiar in form, being according 

 to Wilson, " in the form of' an in- 

 verted cone, with a perpendicular 

 section cut off on that side by 

 which it adheres to the rafters. 

 At the top it has an extension of the nest, or an off-set, for the male or female to sit on 

 occasionally : the upper direction is about six inches by five, the height externally seven 

 inches. This shell is formed with mud mixed with fine hay, as plasterers do mortar 

 with hair to make it adhere the better ; the mud seems to be placed in regular layers 

 from side to side : the shell is about an inch in thickness, and the hollow of" the cone is 

 filled lu^ with fine hay well stuff'ed in, and above that is laid a handful of downy 

 featliers." The nest of the Pinc-pinc {Cisticola tectrix) is also remarkable for possessing 



RUFOUS-BELLIED SWzVLLOW. 



-Iliru ndo cryihror/ctstcr. 



