184 | : Mr. Peabody on the 
to come out from the nest, and try their first flight 
in the barn. When they have gained a little con- 
fidence, they go forth to some wall, fence or tree, 
where the parents can feed them without trouble. 
They soon become so expert in receiving food, that 
the parent can feed the young one, while both are on 
the wing. In fact, they seem in their element only 
when flying, their movements being easy and grace- 
ful, apparently without effort, and so rapid that no 
bird can equal them in fleetness. Before the close 
of summer, the barn swallows are seen in flocks, 
constantly increasing in number, and alighting on 
churches, barns or high trees, chattering gaily to 
each other, as if some interesting plan were in view. 
They are talking over the subject of their migra- 
tion; and on some fair morning they set forth, fol- 
iwing the course of streams or the sea beach, and 
thus with very little delay, proceed beyond the limits 
of the Union. The idea that these birds avoided the 
severity of winter by plunging into the mud, is now 
generally abandoned. No doubt many are found 
occasionally, on draining mill-ponds, and under cir- 
cumstances which it is not easy to explain ; but 
no one pretends that one swallow has been reani- 
mated after its submersion, nor is there anything 
in the structure of the bird which authorizes us to 
suppose that it can live beneath the water. Least 
ofall should we expect any such proceeding from 
a bird which can fly more than a mile a minute, and 
in a day or two can reach those regions where the 
flowers do not wither nor the leaves fall When 
they return in the spring, the bank swallows, 
kd 
S. 
