LECTURE VI. 203 



tailed Titmouse, which builds a deep oval nest with 

 a lateral opening. Others build pendent nests as 

 the Polish T. or P. pendulinus. 



Among the soft-billed Passeres or small-birds 

 the genus Hirundo or Swallow is remarkable for 

 many particularities. The characters of the genus 

 consist in a small short bill, with a broadish base; 

 a wide mouth or gape ; a short, divided tongue ; 

 long wings, and short legs. 



The common Swallow, or Hirundo nistica, is a 

 migrator}^ bird, varying its residence according 

 to the season, on account, chiefly, of the insect 

 tribes on which it feeds. If kept in a sufficiently 

 warm apartment, and supplied with insect food, 

 the common Swallow may be kept throughout the 

 winter, wdthout exhibiting any symptoms of an 

 inclination to torpidity. It is well known that it 

 has been by many supposed to remain torpid, or 

 rather concealed in close caverns and other retired 

 situations during the winter season; and this 

 really appears to have been sometimes the case 

 with the later broods; instances having been 

 known of Swallows suddenly appearing on the 

 tops of sunny buildings and rocks in the middle 

 of winter. Among the most extravagant theories> 



