( 413 ) 

 THE BARN SWALLOW. 



HiRUNDO RUSTIC A, LiNN. 

 PLATE CLXXIII. Male, Female, and Nest. 



There is a pleasure known but to few, a pleasure which I have of- 

 ten enjoyed and still enjoy, whenever an opportunity occurs. It is when 

 the heats of summer have already swelled the fruits of our fields, our 

 gardens, and our orchards ; when Nature herself benignantly smiles on the 

 rich scenery which she has thus embellished; when the husbandman 

 guides the healthful labours of his sons, and wields the instruments of 

 his humble but important calling from the early <lawn to the noon- 

 tide hour of repose ; when the bee herself for a while retires from the 

 honeyed flower, which now languishingly droops on its tender stem ; 

 when the cattle recline beneath the broad shade of some majestic tree, 

 and the labourers retire to the banks of some favourite brook to enjoy 

 their frugal meal, and quench their thirst from the limpid waters. Now 

 all is silent, sweet sleep closes their eyes, and nature seems to pause in 

 her labours. But no sooner have the meridian hours passed, than all re- 

 turn to their occupations, and again every thing is full of life and ac- 

 tivity. 



Observe that passing Swallow, how swiftly she glides around us, how 

 frequently she comes and goes, how graceful her flight, how pleasant 

 her musical twitterings, how happy she seems to be ! Now she has again 

 entered the bam. I will follow her into her summer abode, and laying 

 myself down on the fragrant new-mown hay, watch her motions in silence. 

 Ah ! over my head a nest is firmly fixed to each rafter ; nay on this and 

 that are placed several, and the barn is filled with swallows and their 

 melodies. Happy and charming little creatures ! There a female sits on 

 her eggs, and is receiving a store of insects from the mouth of her mate. 

 Having fed her, he solaces her with a soft chattering voice, and away he 

 goes in search of more food. Here is another nest filled to the brim with 

 young birds trimming their new clothing, and shaking their little wings, 

 while their parents approach with a supply of food. See how they open 

 their yellow throats ! There, howbusily are these two birds occupied in stick- 

 ing layer after layer of damp sandy earth mixed with bits of grass against 



