THE GAPERS. ,111 



migrate, as they are still too weak to undergo such great fatigue. If all goes well, the nestlings 

 are fully fledged in about sixteen days, but generally remain for some time longer under the care 

 of their parents. During this period the whole family return at night to their nest, which they 

 fill so completely that we have often been inclined to wonder that the walls did not give way under 

 the pressure to which they were subjected. Desperate fights often ensue when a stray bird finds 

 its way into a wrong nest, and most courageously do those in possession exert themselves to expel 

 the intruder, who is generally equally determined to remain. Far less brave is the Swallow when 

 brought into collision with its principal enemy, the Sparrow ; it often happens that no sooner is 

 the Swallow's nest completed than a male Sparrow creeps in and takes possession, keeping guard 

 at the door, in order to prevent the entrance of the rightful owner; under these circumstances, 

 the latter, not venturing to obtain admittance by force, usually summons its companions, who 

 together beset the impudent intruder with loud cries and every demonstration of anger. In most 

 cases the Sparrow retains possession of its ill-gotten abode, but should the Swallow be bold, a battle 

 sometimes takes place that proves fatal to one or other of the combatants. So constant are these 

 attempts of the Sparrow to obtain a home for its young, that a pair of Swallows sometimes are 

 deprived twice in the season of the domicile they have laboriously completed, and, should this 

 occur, do not breed at all that year. It was formerly imagined that the Swallow revenged itself 

 on its foe by building it up in the nest, but we need hardly say that this is untrue. 



The Martins make their appearance in England a few days after the Chimney Swallow 

 (Cecropis-Hirundo-rustica), and on their arrival are usually seen in warm and low situations, such 

 being most likely to supply an abundance of their natural food. They are equally distributed through- 

 out the kingdom, and are found wherever man has fixed his residence, seeming to court his protection. 

 They commence nidification early in May, and build in the upper angles of windows and under 

 the eaves of houses, sometimes under the arches of bridges or against the face of rocks. The nest 

 is formed of mud completely worked and cemented, and is closed all round except a small orifice, 

 usually on the sheltered side, just of sufficient size to permit the passage of the inhabitant ; the 

 interior is well lined with a collection of straw, hay, and feathers. These birds leave us in 

 October ; preparatory to their departure, they congregate in great numbers on the roofs of houses. 



The MOUNTAIN or SHORE SWALLOWS (Cotyle) are recognisable by their slightly 

 forked tail, and lax, lustreless plumage. Two species are indigenous to Europe ; a description of 

 these will serve for the entire group. 



THE ROCK SWALLOW. 



The Rock Swallow (Cotyle rupestris) is about five inches and a half long, and from twelve 

 and a half to thirteen and three-quarters broad ; the wing measures about five inches. The coloration 

 of the plumage closely resembles that of the rocks upon which this species principally lives. The 

 upper parts of the body are light brown, the quills and tail blackish ; the centre feathers that 

 compose the latter are beautifully marked with oval yellowish white spots ; the throat is whitish ; 

 the breast and belly dirty reddish grey; the eye is dark brown, the beak black, and the foot 

 reddish grey. The sexes are nearly alike ; the young are somewhat more uniform in hue than the 

 adult bird. 



The actual habitat of the Rock Swallows appears to be Spain,' Italy, and Greece, but they 

 are constantly met with and are known to breed in the Tyrol, and even in still more central parts 

 of Europe. So hardy are they that such as migrate do not leave till the autumn is far advanced, 

 and return as early as February or March ; whilst others, inhabiting the extreme south, remain in 



