THE COMMON SWALLOW. 
375 
Cave-hill, also in view, displayed snow in its ravines, proving, as 
it were, that even two swallows do not make a summer. For ten 
days afterwards, one of these birds was observed to remain with- 
out a companion. On the 6th of April, a swallow was observed 
between Antrim and Ballymena. But, though individuals arrived 
so early that year, those which followed to complete the summer 
number, were remarkably late in coming. In the first week of 
April, they have been seen in other instances. The second week 
of that month is the ordinary period, and they may often be ob- 
served upon the tenth day. 1 * 
Although in the year 1836, the swallow was noticed in one 
locality near Belfast on the 15th or 16th of April, the species was 
generally late in arrival, and remarkably scarce. During a walk of 
upwards of two hours, on the morning of the 1st of May, through 
a well-wooded and cultivated district, where these birds usually 
abound at this season, I could not see one. On the 2nd of that 
month, when proceeding fourteen miles along the southern side 
of the bay, and returning the same distance, swallows appeared 
only at one place, where a few were in company. On the 3rd, 4th 
and 5th, not one was seen for miles along the banks of the river 
Lagan, a favourite resort. In 1837 also, they were very late in 
coming, and, as in the preceding summer, very scarce.! In the 
following year and subsequently they made their appearance as 
usual. The earliest observed by myself in 1838 were two, which 
on the 1 5th of April kept flying over the grassy margin of Belfast 
bay. It was a most unfavourable day for them, being excessively 
cold, with occasional heavy showers of snow, and blowing a hur- 
* Newspaper paragraphs occasionally announce a very early arrival. In the 
Belfast Commercial Chronicle of April, 1835, it was stated that swallows had been 
seen about Larne on the 2nd of the month. The contributors of such notices, how- 
ever, rarely discriminate between the different species of Eirundo, but apply the 
term swallow, generically, to the three species. The sand-martin may have been 
alluded to. On the 10th day of that month, I saw single swallows in two localities 
near Belfast. 
f When travelling from Holyhead to Shrewsbury on the 12th of May, 1837, and 
on the following day thence to London, I perceived that swallows were everywhere 
very few in number. In Wales, one or two swifts only were observed. They ap- 
peared near Corwen, not one being seen at Llangollen, where I had remarked them 
to be particularly abundant in July, 1835. An excellent opportunity for observation 
was afforded from the outside of the coach. 
