Swallow Roost. 



Ivlass. 



Shortly after simsot I saw a large flocl: of Swallows go- 

 ing to roost in aii extensive thicket of button bushes just 

 below Heath's Bridge. Thdre were fullv fifty birds, the ma- 

 jority Barn Swallovm with perhaps a dozen White-bellies and 

 four or five Bank Swallows. They alighted first on the tops 

 of the bushes and gradually worked their way downward and xixi- 

 der the foliage by fluttering frora twig to twig a few inches 

 at a tiiae. Sometimes a dozen 'were beating their wings noisily 

 among the leaves at once and there was much t7/ittering and 

 chattering and petty little bickerings for the best places. 

 All the while a good mmhar of birds were flying about over 

 the river feeding, but one by one they joined the throng among 

 the bushes and when I left all had alighted while ali but two 

 or three had worked dovm out of sight. At first dozens of 

 brick red and snowy v;hite breasts gleamed in the strong light 

 from the west but now there was nothing to be seen but the 

 masses of dark foliage beneath which the host were safely 

 sheltered. During the whole time there were no feints, no 

 sudden inrush, and no panicy departures such as I have noted 

 on former occasions. 



