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THE SWALLOW [Hirundo ritstica Ltnn.). 



This bird is sometimes called the "Chimney'' Swallow, 

 sometimes the " Barn " Swallow. Macgillivray says that the 

 former name is not very correct, as the Swallow rarely builds 

 in chimneys. He distinguishes it from the Martin, 

 Hirundo (Chelidon) urbi'ca, by calling the first the " Red- 

 fronted,'' and the Martin the " White-rumped." 



There is considerable confusion between the Swallow and 

 the Martin, and this is accentuated by the similarity in their 

 habits and their appearance in this country at about the same 

 time. Their modes of flight and their general behaviour, 

 except in the matter of nest-making, are practically identical, 

 while they are both entirely insectivorous and feed upon the 

 same kinds of insects, taking these in the same manner, and 

 frequently flying together in pursuit of them. There are, 

 however, unmistakable difl'erences in the plumage of the two 

 species. 



It may be said of the Swallow and the Martin, as well as 

 of the other species of the Hirundincs^ the Sand Martin, 

 Hirundo rtparia, that they are of more benefit from an 

 economic point of view, as insect destroyers, than any other 

 species of birds. They live solely upon insects, which they 

 catch mainly on the wing, though they may be seen 

 sometimes taking them from the ground. Swallows 

 take flies of all kinds and many species of gnats, small 

 moths, beetles on the wing, and beetles and other 

 insects upon the ground. When the large gnats, species 

 of Tipulidce, Tipula oleracea fthe Daddy Longlegs), Tipula 

 Maculosa, and other " Crane flies," come from the pupal form 



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