348 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



reception in the hay barn and sheep shed. Like the Martin and Cliff 

 swallow, this species is very beneficial. The swallows are all insectivorous 

 in habit, living almost entirely on flying insects and, although they fre- 



Photo by Ralph S. Paddock 



Barn swallow's nest 



quently destroy beneficial species like tiger beetles, ladybirds, ichneumon 

 flies and wasps, the larger portion of their food consists of injurious 

 species. 



