380 
HIRUNDINIDiE. 
heat alone, I can hardly agree with White in believing.* In 
Sweden, it is called Ladu Swala, or barn swallow, from selecting 
the barn for its nest ; in southern countries, as Italy, similar sites 
are preferred, as we have indeed learned from Yirgil, and to the 
correctness of which, I can myself bear testimony. In the Morea 
likewise, within the town of Patras, I remarked in June, 1841, 
that they selected places similar to those chosen in the north of Ire- 
land, their nests being built under the rude porticos in the streets. 
One or two peculiar instances of the nidification of the swallow 
in the neighbourhood of Belfast may be mentioned. In the 
summers of 1831 and 1832, a pair of these birds built their nest 
in a house at Wolf- hill, although the door by which alone they 
could enter, was locked every evening, and not opened before 
six in the morning; being an early-rising species, they must 
consequently have thus lost for no inconsiderable part of the 
season fully three hours every day. A similar fact is mentioned 
in Capt. Cook's Sketches in Spain (vol. ii. p. 275), where it is 
stated that “ in the southern provinces they [swallows] sometimes 
live in the posadas, their nests being built on the rafters, where 
they are shut up every night." In the Northern Whig (a Belfast 
newspaper) of July 2nd, 1829, the following paragraph appeared : 
— “ We understand that a pair of swallows have built their nest 
in Mr. Getty’s school-room, at Bandalstown ; and notwithstanding 
there are above forty scholars daily attending, the birds fearlessly 
went on with their labour, and now have their young ones out. 
One of the windows had been for several nights left down, at 
* A singular preference to chimneys, though not for the purpose of building in 
them, was noticed on the following occasions : — 
On the 6th of August, 1845, a great number of swallows appeared flying to the 
top of a tall “ stalk ” or chimney (perhaps eighty feet in height), isolated from other 
buildings, and rising from a green mound in the neighbourhood of Belfast. The day 
was close and warm, but the heat about the funnel (whence smoke issued) might have 
tempted some particular insects to the spot. There was a constant stream or line of 
birds ascending and descending : their flight had a most singular appearance, from 
the circumstance of their flying upwards from the ground to the chimney-top almost 
in a vertical line, and coming down in a similar manner. So regular were they in 
series, and so vertically disposed, as at once to remind me of a rope ladder up the 
mast of a ship ; really not too extravagant a simile. On the 8th of September, a 
calm warm day, I observed numbers of swallows and house-martins flying in like 
manner, but not so vertically, to and from the top of a lofty chimney connected with 
a manufactory on the river-side at Dundalk. 
