" For a month or sis weeks before they begin to build, they seem to be holding an 

 incessant dispute ; and however many eligible chinks and holes there may be, the 

 contention is always just as great among them, and is doubtless referable to opposing 

 claims to the best places. Tlie excited twittering, the constant striving of two birds to 

 alight on the same square inch of wall, and the chases they lead each other round and 

 round the house, that always end exactly where they began, tell of clashing interests and 

 great unreasonableness on the part of some among them. By-and-by the quarrel takes a 

 more serious aspect ; apparently every argument of which a Swallow is capalde has been 

 exhausted, and a compromise more impossible than ever, and so fighting begins. 

 Most vindictively do the little things clutch each other, and tumble to the earth twenty 

 times an hour, often struggling on tlie ground for a considerable time, and heedless of 

 the screams of alarm their fellows set up above them ; for often while they lie 

 struggling do they fall an easy prey to some wily pussy, who thrives on their disputes. 

 When these troubles and feuds are finally ended, they address themselves diligently to 

 the great work, and build a rather large nest. They are not neat or skilful workers, 

 but merely stuff a great quantity of straw and other light material into the liole they 

 build in, and line it thickly Avith feathers and horsehair. The eggs are white and 

 pointed, from five to seven in number. 



" All those species that are liable at any time to become the victims of raptorial 

 birds are much beholden to tins Swallow, as he is the most vigilant sentinel they 

 possess : often when the Hawk is still far off and the other birds unsuspicious of his 

 approach, the Swallows suddenly rush up towards the sky with a ^ild rapid flight, 

 announcing the evil tidings with distracted screams. These are well understood ; and 

 the alarm spreads like lightning through the feathered tribes, wliich are all in terrified 

 commotion, crouching in the grass and plunging into thickets, or mounting ujjwards to 

 escape by flight. I have often wondered at this ; for surely this swift-winged little l)ird 

 is the least likely to fall a prey hiuisclf. 



" They have another habit which cannot but be grateful to the mind of every lover 

 of nature who is an early riser. An hour before sunrise, and ere any wild l)ird has 

 broken the profound silence of night, multitudes of these Swallows, as at the signal of a 

 leader, begin their song, at the same time mounting upward into tlie still dusky sky. 

 Their notes at this time are different from the hurried twitterings tlicy uftci- through 

 the day; they are impressive, and, though soft, may be heard at a long distance; 

 sounding far and near, up in the sky, from so many throats, they have a most charming 

 effect that seems in peculiar harmony with the shadowy morning twiliglit." 



In another letter Mr. Iludsou writes: — "I continue to nicest so IViMiucntly wilh 

 single birds and small parties of the Tlir/d/do Iciicorrlioa, even on the coldesl days of 

 winter, that I ana quite positive the birds of this species ])reeding as I'ar uorlli as JJucnos 

 Aires citv miirratc in an exccedin2;lv irreiiular manner, maiiv remaining with us all the 

 year, and that the further south we go we find their niigralioiis b(H'om(; more strict and 

 definite; for in Patagonia from ^Farch to August 1 saw not one of thcui. Tiie same 

 may be said of some other migratory species iu tliis region." 



