CHAPTER VI. 
SWALLO WS. 
HIS evening,” said Miss Harson, “ we will take 
the swallows — a numerous family of small 
and very interesting birds, to which belong our old 
friends the purple martins. There are barn swal- 
lows, chimney swallows (Frontispiece, Fig. 3), white- 
bellied swallows (Fig. 5), bank swallows or sand 
martins (Fig. 6 ; Front. Fig. 4), and purple martins. 
“ The swallow is remarkable for its great rapidity 
in flight, its wings being unusually large in propor- 
tion to its body ; and for the ease with which it can 
turn and pounce upon a flying insect. Its very pecu- 
liar-looking cleft tail, from whence comes the 
name ‘ swallow-tailed coat/ is very long and serves 
as a rudder to guide its flight. 
“‘The food of the swallow consists of insects, 
which are taken on the wing. For this reason, when 
the weather is fine and insects abroad, the swallows 
are constantly flying ; and they are seen pursuing 
their prey with such ease and agility that the air 
seems to be their home. All smaller animals en-" 
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