BARN SWALLOW. 355 
October; and also on their return to the north abou the iniddle of 
March. It is highly probable, that, were the countries to the south of 
the Gulf of Mexico, and as far south as the great River Maranon, 
visited and explored by a competent naturalist, these regions would 
be found to be the winter rendezvous of the very birds now before us, 
and most of our other migratory tribes. 
Ina small volume which | have lately met with, entitled An 4c- 
count of the British Settlement of Honduras, by Captain George Hen- 
derson, of the 5th West India regiment, published in London in 1809, 
the writer, in treating of that part of its natural history which relates 
to birds, gives the following particulars : —“ Myriads of Swallows,” 
says he, “are also the occasional inhabitants of Honduras. The time 
of their residence is generally confined to the period of the rains, [that 
is, from October to February,] after which, they totally disappear. 
There is something remarkably curious and deserving of notice in the 
ascent of these birds. As soon as the dawn appears, they quit their 
place of rest, which is usually chosen amid the rushes of some watery 
savannah, and invariably rise to a certain height, in a compact spiral 
form, and which at a distance often occasions them to be taken for an 
immense column of smoke. This attained, they are then seen separ- 
ately to disperse in search of food, the occupation of their day. To 
those who may have had the opportunity of observing the phenomenon 
of a waterspout, the similarity of evolution, in the ascent of these 
birds, will be thought surprisingly striking. The descent, which 
regularly takes place at sunset, is conducted much in the same way, 
but with inconceivable rapidity. And the noise which accompanies 
this can only be compared to the falling of an immense torrent, or the 
tushing of a violent gust of wind. Indeed, to an observer, it seems 
wonderful, that thousands of these birds are not destroyed, in being 
thus propelled to the earth with such irresistible force.” * 
How devoutly it is to be wished that the natural history of those 
regions were more precisely known, so absolutely necessary as it is to 
the perfect understanding of this department of our own! 
The Barn Swallow is seven inches long, and thirteen inches in 
extent ; bill, black; upper part of the head, neck, back, rump, and tail- 
coverts, steel blue, which descends rounding on the breast ; front and 
chin, deep chestnut; belly, vent, and lining of the wing, light chest- 
aut; wings and tail, brown black, slightly glossed with reflections of 
green; tail, greatly forked, the exterior feather on each side an inch 
and a half longer than the next, and tapering towards the extremity, 
each feather, except the two middle ones, marked on its inner vane 
with an oblong spot of white ; lores, black; eye, dark hazel; sides of 
the mouth, yellow ; legs, dark purple. 
The female differs from the male in having the belly and vent rufous 
white, instead of light chestnut: these parts are also slightly clouded 
with rufous ; and the exterior tail feathers are shorter. 
These birds are easily tamed, and soon become exceedingly gentle 
and familiar. I have frequently kept them in my room for several days 
at a time, where they employed themselves in catching flies, picking 
them from my clothes, hair, &c., calling out occasionally, as they ob- 
served some of their old companions passing the windows. 
HeEnDERson’s Honduras, p. 119. 
