376 
HIRUNDINIM. 
ricaiie. As the in-coming tide flowed over the banks, the wind 
swept the spray (caught from the top of the small waves) before 
it, over the shallower portion of the bay, presenting the appearance 
of a dense hail-shower, careering for miles along the surface of 
the sea. In the summer of 1840 again, swallows were remark- 
ably scarce in the north of Ireland. This was attributed by an 
observant friend to the inclement summer of the previous year 
having been unfavourable to their breeding, — it was considered 
that there were fewer young birds in 1839 than he had ever 
before known. On making a tour through the west of Ireland in 
the summer of 1840, I remarked that the Hirundinida generally, 
were very few in number. Although the month of April in 1842, 
was so remarkably fine and warm, swallows were a fortnight 
later than usual making their appearance in the north of Ireland. 
It is remarkable too, that from the first day of their arrival about 
Belfast until the 14th of May, or during three weeks, there was 
no apparent increase to their numbers. On the two following 
days, however, a sudden increase in all directions took place, and 
without any particular change in weather or wind. In 1843, the 
first was seen here on the 6th of April; in 1844, on the 9th ; and 
in 1845, on the 5th of that month. In the north, the common 
swallow has continued to be very scarce for a number of years 
to the summer of 1845 inclusive, appearing otherwise in a few 
choice localities only, or when congregated for migration. In 
1846, an increase was apparent; in 1847, a still greater one, 
though in some localities not one was yet to be seen; in 1848, not 
only an extraordinary augmentation took place, but everywhere 
for several miles around Belfast, swallows were as numerous during 
the summer and autumn as I ever saw them at any period. 
Food. Dr. Jenner * states, that swallows on and for some time 
after their arrival, feed principally on gnats, but that their more 
favourite food, as well as that of the swift and martin, is a small 
beetle of the Scarabseus kind, which on dissection he “ found in 
far greater abundance in their stomachs than any other insects.” 
Two species of gnat, Culex pipiens and C. bifurcatus , are particu- 
* Phil. Trans., vol. cix. p. 24. 
