62 Tlie House-martin , or Window-swallow. 



This flyin-g away from the nest is a great event in' swallow- 

 life, as you may well believe. Let us therefore now direct our 

 attention to one nest in particular, in which are only two young 

 ones — a very small family ; but what happens here is occurring 

 all round us. 



One of these little ones balances itself at the entrance, look- 

 ing timidly into the void, and, having considered the risk for 

 awhile, allows its fellow to take its place. 



During all this time, the parents keep driving about, within 

 a few feet of the entrance, and endeavour, by many .winning 

 gestures, to induce their* charge to follow them. The second 

 bird also, after sitting for some time, as if distrustful of its 

 powers, retires, and the first again appears. Opening and 

 shutting his wings, and often half inclined again to retire, he, at 

 length, summons up all his resolution, springs from the nest, 

 and, with his self-taught pinions, cleaves the air. He and 

 his parents, who are in ecstasies, return to the nest, and the 

 second young one presently musters courage and joins them. 

 And now begins a day of real enjoyment ; they sport chiefly 

 about the tree-tops till seven in the evening, when all re-enter 

 the nest. 



In several instances I have seen the neighbours add their 

 inducements to those of the parents, when the young were too 

 timid to leave their home. If the happy day prove fine, they 

 seldom return to the nest till sunset ; if otherwise, they will cpme 

 back two or three times. On one occasion, when the young- 

 were ready to fly, but unwilling to take the first leap, the parents 

 had recourse to a little stratagem, both ingenious and natural. 

 The he-bird held out a fly at about four inches from the entrance 



