2i8 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



The wren feeds on sniall caterpillars and other tiny insects. 

 We may see it on our rose-bushes, busily picking off the little 

 "blight" insects which damage them so much; so that, tiny little 

 bird as it is, it is really of service to us. 



THE SWALLOW (Family HlRUNDlNlD^) 



After the Wrens come the Mocking-birds and their relatives, a 

 group known as Babblers, and then through the Fly-catchers we 

 are introduced to the Swallows. 



The true swallows are well illustrated by the common Chimney 

 species. But there are Sand-Martins, Purple Martins, and others 

 of the same family which are placed in different genera. 



The chief home of the swallow family is Africa. 



Although the Swallow is only with us during a part of the year, 

 it is one of the birds which we know best. The reason is, that it 

 always lives so very near to our houses, and has such peculiar ways 

 and such wonderful powers of flight. The swallow, indeed, cannot 

 bear to be far away from human habitations. It never goes out 

 into the fields or the woods to make its nest and bring up its 

 young, but builds in a barn, an outhouse, a chimney, or even in 

 an empty room, from which we may see it constantly passing in 

 and out. All day long it is flying to and fro in search of flies, 

 around the house and about our windows. 



Like the martin and the swift, the swallow cannot bear cold; 

 neither can it endure great heat. When winter is coming on in 

 this country it flies away over the sea to warmer countries in the 

 south, and escapes the frost and cold. By and by it finds the 

 weather there becoming too hot for it, and is obliged to fly north- 

 wards again. 



One of the reasons why the swallow leaves us in the autumn is 

 that its natural food is beginning to fail, and it goes to a climate 

 where flies are common again. As soon as the insect-world is 

 again on the wing in our northern regions, the swallow returns. 



Every year of its life, therefore, it has to make two long journeys 

 across the sea. And although it has nothing to guide it, it finds its 



