﻿Common Birds in Relation to Agriculture. 515 



gathered. When a careful inspection was made a few 

 days later, not a beetle, old or young, could be found ; the 

 birds had swept them from the field and saved the 

 potatoes. 



It is not easy to advise measures either for increasing 

 the numbers of this bird or inducing it to take up its 

 residence on the farm. Naturally it inhabits thin, open 

 woods or groves, and the change from such places to 

 orchards would be simple — in fact, has already been made 

 in some parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio. In New England 

 the bird is somewhat rare, and perhaps the best that can 

 be done here or elsewhere is to see that it is thoroughly 

 protected. 



THE SWALLOWS. 



There are seven common species of swallows within the 

 limits of the United States, four of which have, to some 

 extent, abandoned their primitive nesting habits and 

 attached themselves to the abodes of men. As a group, 

 swallows are gregarious and social in an eminent degree. 

 Some species build nests in large colonies, occasionally 

 numbering thousands ; in the case of others only two or 

 three pairs are found together ; while still others nest 

 habitually in single pairs. 



Their habits are too familiar to require any extended 

 description. Their industry and tirelessness are wonder- 

 ful, and during the day it is rare to see swallows at rest 

 except just before their departure for the South, when 

 they assemble upon telegraph wires or upon the roofs of 

 buildings, apparently making plans for the journey. 



A noticeable characteristic of several of the species is 

 their attachment to man. In the eastern part of the 

 country the barn swallow {Chelidon erythrog astro) now 

 builds exclusively under roofs, having entirely abandoned 

 the rock caves and cliffs in which it formerly nested. 

 More recently the cliff swallow {Petrochelidon luni/rons) 

 has found a better nesting site under the eaves of build- 



