434 
CHIMNEY SWALLOW. 
chimneys swept previous to their making fires, and though late 
in autumn no birds have been found there. Chimneys also which 
have not been used have been ascended by sweeps in the winter 
without discovering any. Indeed all of them are swept every fall 
and winter, and I have never heard of the Swallows being found 
in either a dead, living or torpid state. As to the court-house 
it has been occupied as a place of worship two or three times 
a week for several weeks past, and at those times there has been 
fire in the stoves, the pipes of them both going into the chimney, 
which is shut up at bottom by brick work: and as the birds had 
forsaken that place, it remains pretty certain that they did not 
return there; and if they did the smoke I think would be dele- 
terous to their existence; especially as I never knew them to re- 
sort to kitchen chimneys where fire was kept in the summer. 
I think I have noticed, them enter such chimneys for the pur- 
pose of exploring; but I have also noticed that they immediate- 
ly ascended, and went off, on finding fire and smoke.” 
The Chimney Swallow is easily distinguished in air from the 
rest of its tribe here, by its long wings, its short body, the quick 
and slight vibrations of its wings, and its wide, unexpected di- 
ving rapidity of flight; shooting swiftly in various directions 
without any apparent motion of the wings, and uttering the 
sounds tsip tsip tsip tsee tsee in a hurried manner. In roost- 
ing, the thorny extremities of its tail are thrown in for its sup- 
port. It is never seen to alight but in hollow trees or chim- 
neys; is always most gay and active in wet and gloomy weather, 
and is the earliest abroad in morning, and latest out in evening 
of all our Swallows. About the first or second week in Sep- 
tember, they move off to the south, being often observed on 
their route accompanied by the Purple Martins. 
When we compare the manners of these birds while here with 
the account given by Capt. Henderson of those that winter in 
such multitudes at Honduras, it is impossible not to be struck 
with the resemblance; or to suppress our strong suspicions that 
they may probably be the very same. 
