BARN SWALLOW. 



43 



be thought surprisingly striking* The descent, which regularly 

 takes place at sun-set, is conducted much in the same way ; but with 

 inconceivable rapidity. And the noise which accompanies this can 

 only be compared to the falling of an immense torrent; or the rush- 

 ing of a violent gust of wind. Indeed, to an observer it seems won- 

 derful, 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 necessary 

 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 chesnut; belly^ vent, and lining of the wing^ 

 light chesnut; wings and tail brown blacky slightly glossed with 

 reflexions 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 feather, except the two middle ones, marked 

 on its inner vane with an oblong spot of white; lores black; eye 

 dark hazel; sides of the mouth yellow; legs dai^k purple* 



The female differs from the male in having the belly and vent 

 rufous white^ instead of light chesnut; these parts are also slightly 

 clouded with rufous ; and the exterior tail feathers are shorter. 



These birds are easily tamed, and soon become exceedingly 

 gentle and familiar* I have frequently kept them in my room for 

 several days at a time, where they employed themselves in catch- 

 ing flies, picking them from my clothes, hair, &c. calling out occa- . 

 sionally as they observed some of their old companions passing the 

 windows. 



* Henderson's Honduras, p. 119. 



