THE BARN SWALLOW. 183 



This species seldom raises more than two broods in the Southern and Middle 

 Districts, and never, I believe, more than one in Maine and farther north. 

 The little ones, when fully fledged, are enticed to fly by their parents, who, 

 shortly after their first essays, lead them to the sides of fields, roads or rivers, 

 where you may see them alight, often not far from each other, on low walls, 

 fence-stakes and rails, or the withered twigs or branches of some convenient 

 tree, generally in the vicinity of a place in which the old birds can easily 

 procure food for them. As the young improve in flying, they are often fed 

 on the wing by the parent birds. On such occasions, when the old and 

 young birds meet, they both rise obliquely in the air, and come close 

 together, when the food is delivered in a moment, and they separate to con- 

 tinue their gambols. In the evening the family retires to the breeding place, 

 to which it usually resorts until the period of their migration. 



About the middle of August, the old and young birds form more extensive 

 associations, flying about in loose flocks, which are continually increasing, 

 and alighting in groups on tall trees, churches, court-houses, or barns, where 

 they may be seen for hours pluming and dressing themselves, or removing 

 the small insects which usually infest them. At such times they chirp 

 almost continually, and make sallies of a few hundred yards, returning to 

 the same place. These meetings and rambles often occupy a fortnight, but 

 generally by the 10th of September great flocks have set out for the south, 

 while others are seen arriving from the north. The dawn of a fair morning 

 is the time usually chosen by these birds for their general departure, which 

 I have no reason to believe is prevented by a contrary wind. They are seen 

 moving off without rising far above the tops of the trees or towns over which 

 they pass; and I am of opinion that most of them in large parties usually 

 migrate either along the shores of the Atlantic, or along the course of large 

 streams, such places being most likely to afford suitable retreats at night, 

 when they betake themselves to the reeds and other tall grasses, if it is con- 

 venient to do so, although I have witnessed their migration during a fine, 

 clear, quiet evening. Should they meet with a suitable spot, they alight 

 close together, and for awhile twitter loudly, as if to invite approaching 

 flocks or stragglers to join them. In such places I have seen great flocks of 

 this species in East Florida; — and here, reader, I may tell you that the fogs 

 of that latitude seem not unfrequently to bewilder their whole phalanx. One 

 morning, whilst on board the United States Schooner "Spark," lieutenant 

 commandant Piercey and the officers directed my attention to some im- 

 mense flocks of these birds flying only a few feet above the water for nearly 

 an hour, and moving round the vessel as if completely lost. But when the 

 morning is clear, these Swallows rise in a spiral manner from the reeds to 



