"*Tt 



Barn Swallows in Springtime 



By J, W. LIPPINCOTT, Bethayres. Pa. 

 With photographs by the author 



WHEN spring days become really warm and the flying insects 

 begin to stir in the fields, I know that the Barn Swallows are to be 

 expected from the South at any moment. Every year they come 

 with a rush to the old farm buildings ; familiar haunts where rows of their old 

 nests, plastered 

 along shed rafters, 

 seem to make the 

 tiny travelers feel at 

 home immediately. 



This particular 

 year I waited for 

 them longer than 

 usual. Then one 

 balmy morning came 

 the call "Swallows 

 are here!" and I 

 hastened to the 

 barnyard to find 

 them skimming 

 about on all sides. 

 Dozens of them, in 

 fact, some investi- 

 gating the old nest- 

 ing places and others 

 the possibilities of a 

 good food supply 

 nearby. 



In the end, eleven 

 pairs remained to 

 take possession of 

 the sunny cow-shed, 

 while two couples 

 chose to build in 

 the rather gloomy 

 wagon-house not far 

 distant; and such 

 twittering and com- 

 motion as there was 



whenever the cows barn swallow 



(161) 



