44 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Rapid flight Manner* of feeding. 



and belly are of a dusky white, with a slight red- 

 dish shade : the covert feathers are of the same 

 colour of the back and head, but the quill-fea- 

 thers are of a perfect black ; they have a pretty 

 long tail, made up of twelve feathers, which' is 

 forked, the outermost feathers being pointed and 

 near an inch longer than the others; they are all 

 black, except the two middlemost, with a white 

 spot upon each, which spot makes a beautiful 

 line which crosses the tail, interrupted only by 

 the two middle feathers. 



Swallows are easily distinguished from all 

 other birds, not only by their structure, but by their 

 twittering voices and their manner of life. They 

 fly with great rapidity, seldom walk, and perform 

 all their functions either on the wing or sitting. 

 They feed chiefly upon flies, gnats, and beetles, 

 which they catch mostly, if not entirely, while 

 flying; ami it is for this purpose that they are 

 continually hovering over pools and standing 

 waters, where insects frequent without number. 

 They often settle on dug ground or paths for 

 gravel, which assists in grinding and digesting 

 their food. They have an exceeding sharp eye, 

 and are so fleet and uncertain in their course, 

 that it is >n uncommon thing for a sportsman to 

 declare war against, and seek tfoe constant de- 

 struction of these harmless animals, merely for 

 the purpose of rendering himself a; good shot. 

 AH t he tribe drink as they fly akxng, sipping the 

 surface of the water, but the hotrse swallovr 



