21 



THE SWALLOW. 



Habits of the Bird in England. 

 (Golden Days.) 



I 



The British H/runcftnes, or birds of the swallow kind, 



says the St. James' Gazette, are four-the swallow, "the 

 temple-haunting martlet, " the sand martin, and the swift; 

 while in close relation stand the purple martin (a casual 

 visitor to our shores) and the Alpine swift (a species still 

 more rare). The swallows are essentially birds of return; 

 and it may be easily proved that the birds which this 

 year nest beneath our eaves are those which occupied the 

 self-same spot twelve months ago. 



About the beginning of April the Hirundines begin to 

 arrive in Great Britain. First comes the sand-martin. 

 This is the smallest member of its family, and for a time 

 after its arrival it seldom strays far from the stiller pools 

 and sheltered reaches of the river, where insects are a- 

 bundaiit. The sand-martin is closely followed by the 

 true swallow, which, with the sun glinting from its steel- 

 blue back, may usually be seen about the second week in 

 April, skimming low over the meadows. Some days lat- 

 er follows the familiar house-martin; and toward the end 

 of the mouth or the beginning of May the large black 

 swift makes its appearance. 



The knowledge concerning these birds has much ad- 

 vanced of late years. We know now more accurately the 



