BANK SWALLOW. 587 
Their flight, when they are thus travelling, is continued rather low 
over the land or the water; and as in America they retire to a less 
distance southward than our other Swallows, they are not unfrequently 
seen to linger behind the rest. In South Carolina, indeed, I have seen 
some in November. 
In summer and autumn they roost in the holes excavated for their 
nests; but in winter, at least in the Floridas, they always repose at 
night among the tall grass of the salt marshes, making choice of situa- 
tions sheltered by the winds and not liable to be overflowed. At this 
time they keep together in large bodies while searching for food. I 
have several times accidentally crossed their roosting places, which I 
at once recognised by the quantity of their dung attached to the blades, 
and lying on the ground, and from which I infer that they rest clinging 
to the plants. 
At the first appearance of spring they leave their winter quarters 
in pairs, or singly, or in very small flocks; but they follow each other 
so closely in this manner as to form an almost continued line of march. 
- Thad the pleasure of observing this to be the case with the Barn Swal- 
low also, whilst I was proceeding toward the Texas, when that species 
was advancing in a contrary direction. 
Although small, the Sand Swallow is a rather hardy bird; for I 
observed that the transient cold weather that at times occurs in the 
Floridas at night, seldom forces them to remove farther south. On 
one occasion, however, when the ice was about the thickness of a dol- 
lar, many were found dead along the shores, as well as floating on the 
water, whilst the rest appeared in great perturbation, wending their 
way in a hurried manner toward the warmer parts of the country, and 
taking advantage of every spot that afforded them more warmth, such as 
the borders of woods, and high banks of streams. I am, however, of 
opinion that the inclemency of the weather at times proves to be the 
greatest evil these birds have to encounter, especially when in early 
spring they are moving northward, and occasionally meet with a sud- 
den change from temperate to cold. Even in the places selected for 
their summer residence, great numbers die in their holes, and many 
have been found there in a state bordering on torpidity. 
Their food, which consists of small insects, principally of the hy- 
menopterous kind, even during winter in the Floridas, is procured on 
wing. ‘hey very seldom approach walls or the trunks of trees to seize 
