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. AU, it is true, have long, 

 pointed wings, and forked tails : but their coloration is very 

 different. The swaUow 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 pufe white imder 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 skimntiing the 

 ground, now sweeping upward and away, round the church 

 tower, accompanied by wild, exultant screams, as though 



