Strangely enough, not only country boys and girls, but 
their fathers and mothers, not only confuse swallows and 
martins with one another, but these with the swift! Yet 
they are readily distinguishable. All, it is true, have long, 
pointed wings, and forked tails: but their coloration is very 
different. The swallow has the most deeply forked tail of 
them all, and his steel-blue back, red throat, and rufous 
buff-and-cream under parts are unmistakable identification 
marks. The martin may be distinguished at once by the 
conspicuous white rump patch, and pure white under parts. 
These are the signs by which they may be recognized when 
on the wing—and they are more often seen thus than at rest. 
The sand-martin is a much smaller bird, has a less markedly 
forked tail, and is of a uniform pale brown above, and white 
below, but with a brown band across the chest. The swift 
is not even related to the swallow-tribe. On the wing—and 
very few people ever see him otherwise—he is very different. 
The wing-beat is extremely rapid and intermittent, while 
in its shape the wing differs in its extreme length and narrow- 
ness. The flight is extremely swift—hence the name of the 
bird. Not its least impressive feature is its wonderful flexi- 
bility. Who has not watched, with delight, a troop of these 
birds sweeping down the village street, now skimming the 
ground, now sweeping upward and away, round the church 
tower, accompanied by wild, exultant screams, as though 
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