120 MORGAN^— The Migration of Swallows in ti.A. 



winter, but they even breed at that season. Mr. Justice 

 Murray found young birds in a nest in his stable at Magill in 

 June, and I saw birds building a nest under a verandah in 

 King William Street South on 1st April, 1911. These birds 

 remained about the spot, but did not finish the nest until 

 September. In 1910 the same pair of birds built in the middle 

 of July. Capt. S. A. White has twice recorded them building 

 about the end of July at Fulham. I should say, without look- 

 ing up records, that July is our coldest month, and if the birds 

 can maintain themselves and feed young in that month they 

 would have no difficulty in staying the whole winter. I 

 remember having seen, many years ago, numbers of swallows 

 roosting in the reeds on Lake Alexandrina, but could not 

 remember the time of year or the species, so Capt. White, at 

 my request, wrote to Mr. F. G. Avers, of Naming. He replied 

 as follows, "Referring to your enquiries about swallows. I 

 do not remember ever seeing tree swallows roosting in the 

 reeds. The ordinary swallows almost invariably roost on 

 the drooping reeds on the lee side of the reed bunches, and 

 in the winter months, after a frosty night, I have often seen 

 up to eight and ten dead swallows on the water beneath their 

 roosting places. This often occurs when food is scarce, i.e., 

 when the Lakes are salt and few aquatic insects are about.'" 

 Which goes to show that there, at any rate, swallows remain 

 throughout the winter in considerable numbers. I am con- 

 vinced that the tree swallow does not leave the plains at 

 any time of the year. A small colony of eight birds nest 

 under the roof of my neighbour's house, the common hole of 

 entrance being opposite my dressing room window, so that I 

 have the opportunity of observing them every morning. During 

 the last three winters these birds have remained in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and used the nesting place for roosting, though 

 they do not begin to carry nesting material until the middle 

 of July. I was formerly of opinion that these birds migrated 

 from the fact of their gathering in large flocks upon the 

 ground during February and March. One such gathering 

 place used to be on the North Park Lands, where the Corpora- 

 tion nursery now is. I observed this flock for three years in 

 succession, and found that they did not leave in a body, but 

 that the flocks dwindled away gradually till about the end of 

 March, when none were left. They begin to gather about 

 the end of January, quickly increasing in numbers, until the 

 end of February, and then, as above. Since the Nursery and 

 University Oval have been established they no longer gather 

 there, but on anv dav of the year numbers mav be seen in the 



