BARN SWALLOW. T ^ 



following particulars : — " Myriads of swallows," says he, " are 

 also the occasional inhabitants of Honduras. The time of 

 their residence is generally confined to the period of the 

 rains [that is, from October to February], after which they 

 totally disappear. There is something remarkably curious 

 and deserving of notice in the ascent of these birds. As 

 soon as the dawn appears, they quit their place of rest, which 

 is usually chosen amid the rushes of some watery savannah ; 

 and invariably rise to a certain height, in a compact spiral 

 form, and which at a distance often occasions them to be 

 taken for an immense column of smoke. This attained, they 

 are then seen separately to disperse in search of food, the 

 occupation of their day. To those who may have had the 

 opportunity of observing the phenomenon of a waterspout, the 

 similarity of evolution in the ascent of these birds will.be 

 thought surprisingly striking. The descent, which regularly 

 takes place at sunset, is conducted much in the same way, 

 but with inconceivable rapidity ; and the noise which accom- 

 panies this can only be compared to the falling of an immense 

 torrent, or the rushing of a violent gust of wind. Indeed, to 

 an observer, it seems wonderful that thousands of these birds 

 are not destroyed, in being thus propelled to the earth with 

 such irresistible force." * 



How devoutly it is to be wished that the natural history of 

 those regions were more precisely known, so absolutely neces- 

 sary as it is to the perfect understanding of this department 

 of our own ! 



The barn swallow is seven inches long, and thirteen inches 

 in extent ; bill, black ; upper part of the head, neck, back, 

 rump, and tail-coverts, steel blue, which descends rounding 

 on the breast ; front and chin, deep chestnut ; belly, vent, 

 and lining of the wing, light chestnut ; wings and tail, brown 

 black, slightly glossed with reflections of green ; tail, greatly 

 forked, the exterior feather on each side an inch and a half 

 longer than the next, and tapering towards the extremity, each 

 * Henderson's Honduras, p. 119. 



