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habits of the swallow. 
is exclusively an insect-eating "bird, and plays a most important part in preserving the 
balance between the various departments of the animal kingdom. There are many noxious 
insects which are most valuable in themselves, and which, until the conditions which cause 
their existence be removed or altered, are actual visible providences towards mankind. But 
these very creatures are necessarily so extremely prolific, that their increase outgrows their 
task, and they would themselves become nuisances, did not the Swallow and other similar 
birds keep down their numbers by day, and the goat-suckers and bats by night. 
To ascertain the truth of this observation, nothing more is necessary than to open the 
mouth of a Swallow that has been shot while flying, and to turn out the mass of small 
flies which will be found collected there, and which the bird was intending to take home to 
its hungry little family. The extraordinary amount of flies and other insects which a Swallow 
can thus pack into its mouth is almost incredible, for when relieved by the constant pressure 
to which it is subjected, the black heap begins to swell and enlarge, until it attains nearly 
double its former size. 
The Swallow wages a never-ceasing war against many species of insects, and seems to 
be as capricious in its feeding as are the roach and other river fish. At one time it will 
feed almost exclusively upon gnats and other small flies, and will destroy many thousands of 
these obnoxious flies in a single day. At another time it will prefer beetles, chasing the 
Geotrupidse rather than those of any other order. On another occasion it will confine itself to 
May -flies, catching them as they emerge from their pupal envelopes and flutter soft, fat, and 
languid on the river bank. Sometimes the Swallow flies at larger prey, and frequenting the 
neighborhood of bee-hives, swoops with unerring aim upon their inmates as they enter or leave 
their straw-built houses. It is a very remarkable fact, that the working bee is generally 
unharmed by the Swallow, which directs its attack chiefly upon the comparatively useless 
drone. Perhaps the bird may possess an instinctive knowledge of the poisoned weapon with 
which the worker is armed, and may therefore prefer to attack the large but stingless drone. 
Owing, in all probability, to this insect diet, the flesh of the Swallow is quite unfit for the 
table, and possesses a very disagreeable flavor. Out of curiosity I once cooked and tried to 
eat some Swallows that had been shot, and was effectually deterred from the attempt by the 
peculiar and nauseous character of the flesh, which has some resemblance to a sweet potato in 
its flavor. Like the generality of predaceous birds, the Swallow ejects the legs, wings and other 
indigestible portions of its insect prey in little pellets, or “ castings.” 
The flight of this bird is very rapid and graceful, and is readily distinguished from that of 
the Swift by certain peculiarities which are not easy to be described, but can be recognized 
without difficulty. Unlike the Swift, which never settles except on some elevated spot, the 
Swallow is fond of resting a while on the ground, and may often be seen dusting itself after the 
fashion of the common sparrow. I have often seen it settle on the patches of sand that are left 
among the rocks at low water, and from the busy activity which it displayed on such occa- 
sions imagine it to have been engaged in chasing the sand-flies, or perhaps even the sand- 
hoppers that swarm so abundantly in such localities. 
When taken young, the Swallow is easily tamed, and after having passed the season of 
emigration, becomes reconciled to its enforced home and is a very docile and lovable little 
pet. The poor bird must suffer greatly during this period when its brothers are voyaging 
to warmer climates, for the organization of all birds is sensitive to a high degree, and especially 
so in the case of birds of passage. The extreme delicacy of the bird’s nature was well shown 
in the time of cholera. In the town of Yerviers, while that fell disease was carrying away 
twenty inhabitants per diem out of a population of two thousand, the Swallows and all the 
singing-birds left the spot, and did not return until the cholera had passed away. 
The voice of the Swallow is vastly more agreeable than the shrill scream of the Swift, and 
is, although weak and twittering, very musical in its tone and pleasing to the ear. 
The nest of the Swallow is always placed in some locality where it is effectually sheltered 
from wind and rain. Generally it is constructed under the eaves of houses, but as it is frequently 
built within disused chimneys, it has given to the species the popular title of Chimney Swallow. 
The bird is probably attracted to the chimney by the warmth of the fire inside. 
