OF NEW ENGLAND. 144 
almost unnecessary for me to describe these minor distinctions, 
and I shall therefore make no further mention of them. 
The most interesting remarks to be made upon the Eave 
Swallows are those which relate to their immigration from the 
western United States to New England and other parts of the 
country. An accurate account of their movements within the 
last century could hardly fail to be interesting, but I doubt if 
a sufficient number of notes and dates can now be obtained to 
effect this purpose. Indeed, the history of the so-called “ Re- 
publicans” would probably be far more interesting than an 
account of their habits could be (partly because the latter are 
‘well known, and the former is not); but I regret that I am 
unable to present it to the public. ‘‘ When or where” the 
Cliff Swallows ‘first appeared in Massachusetts,” says Dr. 
Brewer, “is not known. I first observed a large colony of 
them in Attleboro’ in 1842. Its size indicated the existence 
of these birds in that place for several years. The same year 
they also appeared, apparently for the first time, in Boston, 
Hingham, and in other places in the neighborhood.” The 
Eave Swallows are still increasing throughout the Eastern 
States, and are constantly making their appearance in places 
where they have not been observed before. An excellent place 
to study them, particularly for summer-tourists, is Mount 
Desert, where the birds were, and still are, I suppose, very 
abundant (at least at Bar Harbor). Their habits are easily 
learned, as they are constantly in the open air, and about the 
village-streets, where all, who wish to, may gaze upon them. 
One agreeable trait in the character of the ‘“‘ Republicans” 
is their general amiability. In spite of their gregariousness 
and crowded dwellings, they never become confused, and rarely 
quarrel. Could a map be drawn indicating the position of 
their communities, all their colonies might well be named 
Philadelphia. 
(d). See I, A, (e). 
Nore.— Bonaparte, in his continuation of ‘ Wilson’s Orni- 
thology,” says of the Cliff Swallow: “A very singular trait 
distinguishes the migrations of this bird. While the European 
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