84 



THE SWALLOW. 



Hirundo rust tea L. 



As might be expected of such a conspicuous and easily 

 observed bird as the Swallow, a ver}^ large number of 

 records from all parts of the country have been received, 

 so that its immigrations and various movements through 

 the country are well recorded and may be traced with fair 

 accuracy. 



This species was actually migrating to or through 

 England during the whole of April and May, but our 

 resident birds appear to have settled themselves in their 

 breeding-quarters by the end of April, the later arrivals 

 being on their way to the north. 



Its immigrations, as a rule, were carried on in immense 

 flocks, which, travelling with a front extending from 

 Devon to Sussex, kept on arriving, sometimes for two or 

 three days in succession. 



These large immigrations were, however, always heralded 

 and followed by many stragglers travelling in small 

 parties. 



All these flights appear to have been travelling in the 

 same direction, viz., north, with a slight trend to the east, 

 so that we find the western wing invariably striking the 

 coast of Devon slightly before the eastern limit reached 

 the coast of Sussex. 



During April five distinct immigrations are clearly 

 traceable, the largest movements being noted between the 

 17th and 22nd and again on the 25th and 26th. During 

 May, although considerable movements were still in 

 progress, they were less in extent, and owing to the mass 

 of birds then in the country it is impossible to trace them 

 with any degree of certainty. 



