BARN SWALLOW. 
Chelidon erythrogaster STEJNEGER. 
PLATE XVIII. Fic. 1. 
The welcome guest of settled spring, 
The Swallow, too, has come at last; 
Just at sunset, when Thrushes sing, 
1 saw her dash with rapid wing, 
And hail'd her as she pass’d. 
Come, summer visitant, attach 
To my reed roof your nest of clay, 
And let my ear your music catch, 
Low twittering underneath the thatch 
At the gray dawn of day. 
CHARLOTTE SMITH. 
Ne) O -ONE of all our North American birds is more widely diffused, more generally 
N abundant, wherever found, ‘“‘or better known, than the graceful and familiar 
Barn SwaLLow. And no one is more universally or more deservedly a favorite. Found 
throughout North America, from Florida to Greenland and from ocean to ocean, and 
breeding nearly throughout the same wide extent, its distribution is universal. Ventur- 
ing with a confiding trust into our crowded cities, and building their elaborate nests in 
the porches of dwellings, as well as entering in greater numbers the barns and farm 
buildings of the agriculturists and placing themselves under the protection of man, they 
rarely fail to win for themselves the interest and good will they so well deserve. 
Innocent and blameless in their lives, there is no evil blended with the many benefits 
they confer on man. They are his ever constant benefactors and friends, and are never 
known, even indirectly, to do him any injury. For their daily food, and for that of 
their offspring, they destroy the insects that annoy his cattle, injure his fruit trees, sting 
his fruit, or molest his person. Social, affectionate, and kind in their intercourse with 
each other; faithful and devoted in the discharge of their conjugal and parental duties; 
exemplary, watchful, and tender alike to their own family and to all their race; sym- 
pathizing and benevolent when their fellows are in any trouble,—these lovely and 
beautiful birds are bright examples to all, in their blameless and useful lives.”” With 
these introductory words Dr. T. M. Brewer begins the life history of our beautiful Barn 
Swallow in the “History of North American Birds.”’* The only Swallow to compare 
with it in beauty, song, flight, and familiarity, is our Purple Martin. The Barn Swallow 
is the especial favorite of the immigrated Germans, because it resembles and reminds them 
so much of the favorite House Swallow (Chelidon urbiza) of their native land. There 
is, indeed, a close relationship between the two, and they resemble each other in all 
essential points. Our Barn Swallows’ prominent qualities are: unreserved confidence in 
man, gentle and cheerful disposition, peacefulness and sociability, their indescribably 
graceful way of flying, their sweet, cozy, melodious twittering song. All these qualities 
* “History of North American Birds,” By S F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway. Vol. I, p. 340. 
