5ti NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Manners of the dam and her brood. 



neighbouring tree, where sitting in a row, they 

 are attended by the parents with great assiduity. 

 In a day or two after this, they are strong enough 

 to fly, but continue still unable to take their own 

 food ; they therefore play about near the place, 

 where the dams are watching for flies ; and, when 

 a mouthful is collected, at a certain signal the 

 dam and the nestling advance, rising towards 

 each other and meeting at an angle; the young 

 all the while uttering such a short quick note of 

 gratitude and complacency, that a person rpust 

 have paidrvery little regard to the wonders of na- 

 ture who has not remarked this scene. 



As soon as the dam has disengaged herself 

 from the first brood, she immediately commences 

 her preparations for a second, which is introduced 

 into the world about the middle or latter end of 

 August. 



Professor Kalm, in his travels into America, 

 says, that a very reputable lady and her children 

 related to him the following story respecting 

 these birds, assuring him at the same time that 

 they were all eye-witnesses to the fact: "A 

 couple of swallows built their nest in the stable 

 belonging to the lady ; and the female laid eggs 

 in the nest, and was about to brood them. Some 

 days after, the people saw the female still sitting 

 on the eggs; but the male, flying about the nest, 

 and sometimes settling on a nail, was heard to 

 utter a very plaintive note, which betrayed his 

 uneasiness. On a nearer examination, the fe- 



