OF NEW ENGLAND. 143 
size, afford them, among cobwebbed rafters, plenty of suitable 
nesting-places. I shall sketch the habits of these birds by con- 
sidering their manner of life, through the latter’s various 
stages. 
The Barn Swallows, when young, are constantly supplied 
with food by their parents, until they are able to take short 
flights from beam to beam in the barns. Later, they venture 
from these buildings, but are obliged to be at rest much of the 
time and still to be fed by their parents. As they become 
more accustomed to the exercise of their wings, they fly more 
boldly, procure much or all of their own food, and are by the 
first of September strong enough to bear the fatigue of their 
long migratory flights to the South. On their return in the 
spring, they are capable of remaining on wing through at least 
fitteen hours of the twenty-four. Their manner of flight is 
rapid and graceful, and so interesting as to well repay close at- 
tention. They rarely fly far near the ground, nor do they reach 
such a height as some other species. They prefer telegraph- 
wires to other perches, and on these long rows of them may 
often be seen; and in fact these wires seem almost to influ- 
ence these birds in their choice of a summer-home. 
It was formerly believed that the Barn Swallows, and others, 
passed the winter torpid in mud at the.bottom of lakes, and 
in caves. Much astounding evidence has been produced to 
prove the correctness of this absurd theory, which is, however, 
too unnatural to long exist under the régime of modern sci- 
ence. Wilson is eloquent in his condemnation of this belief, 
and considers it too ridiculous to be worthy of serious refuta- 
tion, which is, in fact, the case. 
(d). The young Barn Swallows often utter a series of twit- 
ters, which resemble the laugh of a tickled child, and the older 
birds also have various twitters, some of which are sprightly 
and musical. 
(e). I shall not describe at length the twitters and guttural 
cries of the various swallows, both because they are more 
easily learned than described, and because when described can 
hardly aid one in distinguishing the different species. 
