i5° 



Field and Forest Rambles. 



most assuredly terminate in the complete overthrow of 

 the doctrines which aim at restricting many closely allied 

 animals and plants to certain regions. 



In connection with the probable future extension of the 

 geographical distribution of many birds to New Brunswick, 

 at present either not met with there or only casual stragglers, 

 there can be no doubt that the remarkable changes in the 

 physical aspect of North America since the advent of 

 Europeans have very materially influenced the habits and 

 distribution of many animals and plants. Among other re- 

 markable examples may be noticed the present mode of 

 nesting of the Purple Martin, Cliff, Barn, and White- 

 bellied Swallows;* also the little Chimney Swift 

 (C. pelasgia)) indeed, in prehistoric times, the same might 

 be said of their European congeners, but the differences 

 in their cases are not so apparent. All the above, in the 

 northern parts of the United States and the Canadian Dominion, 

 generally build their nests about houses in preference to 

 their ancient haunts among rocky cliffs and in holes of 

 trees. The Purple Swallow has now such a predilection for 

 man's society on account of the preponderance of insect 

 life which invariably surrounds him wherever he goes, that 

 he has only to construct a small cot with several chambers, 

 and place it on a pole at the door of any solitary shanty 

 in the wild wilderness, when year after year, with the cer- 

 tainty of the seasons, it will be tenanted by these birds in 

 preference to any other situation. This fine, powerful, and 

 I might say warlike swallow — for indeed it is extremely 

 combative, and well able to hold its own in the struggle for 

 life, being quite a prodigy of valour — makes daring sallies ; I 

 have seen the inmates of numerous cots, with extraordinary 

 alacrity, rise from their various residences in a body, and 



* I have seen several cream-coloured or albino individuals of the barn 

 swallow, and Mr. Boardman informed me of other specimens, so that the 

 abnormality may not be uncommon. 



