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Hawks may be shot from the nest only to be replaced each succeeding 
year by another couple. The male is blue black above, the breast 
white suffused with brown, barred with a darker shade of brown, 
while his mate is rather lighter in colour, the breast white barred 
with ashy-grey. The legs of both are yellow, with toes greatly 
developed, giving great grasping power, and ending in needle- 
pointed talons. I'he eggs, five or six in number, are of blui-sh- white 
ground-colour, richly blotched and marked with reddish-brown. 
Swallow — This summer migrant is well known to all, though 
frequently one hears the Swift, House-Martin, and Sand-Martin 
indiscriminately spoken of as Swallows. The Swallow or “ Chimney 
Swallow ’’ may be distinguished from the afore-mentioned birds by 
its brilliant blue-black colour, by the chestnut colour of its throat, 
and by the much elongated feather on either side of the tail. The 
migratory instinct of the swallow has been much discussed, but 
possibly It is not so wonderful that a bird with such power of wing 
as is possessed by this species should come to us yearly from even so 
far as South Africa, as it is that the tiny Gold-Crest, not one-fourth 
its size and comparatively feeble on the wing, crosses the North Sea 
in its migration from Norway to our coasts. It is possibly the habit 
of the Swallow in attaching itself to the proximity of man, to nest in 
barns and other outhouses, which has made it attract the greater 
interest. The Swallows, preparatoiy to their departure for their 
winter stay in climes warmer than ours, collect in enormous 
numbers, usually selecting at this period for rendezvous, such places 
as reed and osier beds skirting the margin of river, lake, or pond, 
and it must have been their last appearance in our isles in this 
C roximity, which caused the old belief that they retired to hibernate 
eneath the water into the mud, at the bottom of lake or pond. No 
more interesting reading is found in Gilbert White’s pages than that 
in which he discusses the likelihood of such a habit, and it is pleasing 
to see his logic ultimately emerge triumphant in refutation of such a 
possibility. The nest of the “Chimney .Swallow” is but a slight 
structure, placed on the flat upper side of joist or beam in stable or 
barn. The eggs, five or six in number, are pure white, speckled with 
dots of brown. 
Swan, Mute — This bird is perhaps hardly entitled to appe.ar 
among “ wild birds at home,” rather is it a tame bird abroad, as it 
exists in our country only in a slate of partial domestication, having 
been introduced to the British Isles some centuries ago from Cyprus. 
The shapeliness and grace of this bird are proverbial, and it forms a 
pleasing addition to the beauties of many a river and lake through 
the land. In early days the Swan was the property of the Crown, 
and was rigorously protected. Occasionally this bird becomes 
imbued in spring with a restless spirit, when in some cases a pair will 
leave their customary haunts and taking wing hie themselves to some 
remoter water-side, there to rear their young, but more commonly 
they build their large nest in the immcdi.ate vicinity of their home, 
preferably upon an island if such is obtainable. The eggs are 
usually five in number, of pale green colour. The young are dark 
grey in colour and are known as “ Cygnets." While nesting the 
Swan will exhibit much courage, and it is at times dangerous to 
approach the nest, a blow from her powerful wing being no trifling 
matter. 
Thrush, Song — The Song-Thrush or Mavis is re.sident 
with us throughout the year, is abundant and widely distributed- 
licing double and even treble-brooded, this species when, free for a 
few years from the severity of an exceptionally hard winter, rapidly 
