RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



naturalist must bear in mind that every bird, no matter 

 of what species or inhabiting what part of the globe, 

 comes under one of these three divisions. I will briefly 

 glance at these three divisions, and give the opinions I 

 have arrived at in a matter to which I have paid no 

 small degree of care and attention. 



We will take, firstly, those birds which pair for life. 

 • Swallows are an excellent type of this class, returning 

 annually to their old nestifig-sites for the same purpose 

 as previously. The Martin returns to its old nest. But 

 to some this may appear incredible, knowing that these 

 birds perform long migrations, and may get separated 

 while upon them. Do these birds get finally separated 

 when in large companies they are searching the air for 

 their food .' or do Rooks, Starlings, and Jackdaws fail 

 to remember the position of their nests 1 The same 

 instinct which informs the Swallows when to leave 

 Africa, in like manner urges them onwards to their old 

 nests ; and again the same pair of birds will perform 

 the duties of incubation. We all know that the same 

 nesting-site will be yearly tenanted, provided the birds 

 are left unmolested. This must be by the same pair of 

 birds, not their young, as is erroneously supposed, for 

 what ornithologist has ever in the course of his observa- 

 tions seen swallows prying about into barns and out- 

 buildings in search of some old nest, which will save 

 them the labour of constructing one themselves .? The 

 time would be so taken up in this search, that no brood 

 would be reared. Young birds pair most likely before 

 their migration to us, and search out nesting-sites upon 

 their arrival in this country. 



Again, the Rook is another bird which I believe 

 pairs for life. At the commencement of the breeding 

 season rooks (unmolested by the other members of the 



