8 



former station." A recent note by Mr. Blagg states that he observed the species on 

 Bressay, May 27th, also at Sand Lodge on June 6th. 



In Ireland, according to Mr. Thompson, it is " abundant in summer ; much more 

 so than the other species of the family. It arrives the second in order of the Swallows, 

 being preceded by the Sand-Martin. The earliest, appearance of the Swallow that I 

 have known about Belfast was in 1816, when, on the 30th of March, two birds exhibiting 

 the long tail-feathers which denote H. rustica were seen flying on the bay. On the 

 next day a single bird was observed on each side of its shores. On the 6th of April 

 a Swallow was observed betAveen Antrim and Ballymena. But, though individuals 

 arrived so early that year, those which foUow^ed to complete the summer number were 

 remarkably late in coming." 



In the Eaeroes, according to Colonel Peilden, it appears in considerable numbers in 

 May, but has never been observed nesting there. To Iceland it is also a rare straggler, 

 and never remains to breed. 



As regards the occurrence of the species in Scandinavia, Professor Bobert Collett, 

 writing to Mr. Dresser, says that it breeds throughout Norway up to about the Arctic 

 Circle, above which it is seen as a straggler, but does not appear to breed. Mr. Di'esser, 

 in his ' Birds of Europe,' summarizes the Swedish records of the Swallow as follows : — 

 " In Sweden it is a common summer visitant, arriving about the 22nd or 26th of April 

 and sometimes not till early in May, and leaving early in October. It breeds commonly 

 throughout the country, and is found as far north as Alton in 70° N. lat., and at Vardo 

 in 70|° N., but does not breed there. It is also said to have been seen at Hammerfest. 

 South of these places, Prof. Sundevall says it is not found in Lapland until about 68^°, 

 at Enontekis, Karesuando, and Iwalajoki, below which it is extremely common." 



In Spitzbergen, according to Professor Newton, it was noticed by Mr. Campbell ; and 

 the late Mr. George Gillett states that on his way to Nova Zembla a pair was seen flying 

 round the ship as she lay at anchor in a small bay (lat. 70° 10' N.), but no others were 

 seen. In the Kola Peninsula, Dr. Pleske states that tlie Common Swallow is a regular 

 breeder in the southern portion of the district in small numbers ; in the northern 

 part it nests only occasionally, and sometimes appears in pairs in the spring, but these 

 appear to retire to the southern portions to breed. In Einnish Lapland its appear- 

 ance is very rare, as Professor Palmen observed it only at Muonioniska. Professor 

 Malm records the breeding of the Swallow in the Euare district as far as Kyre and 

 Iwalajoki. In every locality, however, it is rare. Dr. Pleske continues :~" With regard 

 to its occurrence in East Einmark, Schrader saw a single bird on the Varangerfjord 

 on the 17th of May, 1849, but makes no observation as to the breeding of the species in 

 that district. Sundevall records it from Vardo, and Esmark found it breeding near 

 Svanevig on the Pasvig Eiver." It has been recorded by Nordvi as breeding in Vadso. 

 During his visit to Lapland Mr. A. C. Chapman observed the Swallow in Gulholmen 

 on June the 10th and near Pulmak on the 18th of the same month. Dr. Pleske states 



