236 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



an aviary at Lilford, within a very short distance of a 

 perch constantly occupied by a White-tailed Eagle, 

 w^ho appeared to take no notice whatever of the 

 constant passage of the parent Swallows through the 

 wire netting which covered the front of the cage ; in 

 this perilous spot five young Swallows were hatched 

 and reared, and, for all we know to the contrary, may 

 still live to tell the story. We do not recollect to 

 have seen one of this species in Northamptonshire 

 later than the first week of November, though many 

 apparently well-authenticated instances of their tar- 

 rying into December in various parts of England have 

 been recorded. As a rule, our first broods of Sw^allows 

 leave the nests about the beginning of July, and as 

 soon as they are strong enough on wing, and able to 

 procure their own food, haunt the banks of the Nen 

 principally, and roost in great numbers amongst the 

 willows and reeds on its banks ; the second broods 

 are generally on wing in the first days of September, 

 and about that time the early birds begin to move 

 southward, and may be seen congregating on leafless 

 trees, house-tops, &c., preparatory to departure : by 

 the second week of October the bulk of our Swallows 

 has left us, though there are few seasons in which a 

 late brood or two may not be found in the nest in 

 that month ; but our experience is that these very 

 late birds almost invariably die in the nest, or very 

 soon after leaving it. On several occasions when 

 yachting in the Mediterranean at the period of vernal 

 migration we have had many wearied birds of this 

 and many other species come aboard in a breeze, and 

 there is no doubt but that many Swallows annually 

 are drowned, whilst on their travels, in spite of their 

 great powers of flight. The present species is a 



