THE BARtf SWALLOW. 
183 
This species seldom raises more than two broods in the Southern and Middle 
Districts, and never, I believe, more than one in Maine and farther north. 
The little ones, when fully fledged, are enticed to fly by their parents, who, 
shortly after their first essays, lead them to the sides of fields, roads or rivers, 
where you may see them alight, often not far from each other, on low walls, 
fence-stakes and rails, or the withered twigs or branches of some convenient 
tree, generally in the vicinity of a place in which the old birds can easily 
procure food for them. As the young improve in flying, they are often fed 
on the wing by the parent birds. On such occasions, when the old and 
young birds meet, they both rise obliquely in the air, and come close 
together, when the food is delivered in a moment, and they separate to con- 
tinue their gambols. In the evening the family retires to the breeding place, 
to which it usually resorts until the period of their migration. 
About the middle of August, the old and young birds form more extensive 
associations, flying about in loose flocks, which are continually increasing, 
and alighting in groups on tall trees, churches, court-houses, or barns, where 
they may be seen for hours pluming and dressing themselves, or removing 
the small insects which usually infest them. At such times they chirp 
almost continually, and make sallies of a few hundred yards, returning to 
the same place. These meetings and rambles often occupy a fortnight, but 
generally by the 10th of September great flocks have set out for the south, 
while others are seen arriving from the north. The dawn of a fair morning 
is the time usually chosen by these birds for their general departure, which 
I have no reason to believe is prevented by a contrary wind. They are seen 
moving off without rising far above the tops of the trees dr towns over which 
they pass ; and I am of opinion that most of them in large parties usually 
migrate either along the shores of the Atlantic, or along the course of large 
streams, such places being most likely to afford suitable retreats at night, 
when they betake themselves to the reeds and other tall grasses, if it is con- 
venient to do so, although I have witnessed their migrations during a fine, 
clear, quiet evening. Should they meet with a suitable spot, they alight 
close together', and for awhile twitter loudly, as if to invite approaching 
flocks or stragglers to join them. In such places I have seen great flocks of 
this species in East Florida ; — and here, reader, I may tell you that the fogs 
of that latitude seem not unfrequently to bewilder their whole phalanx. One 
morning, whilst on board the United States Schooner “Spark,” lieutenant 
commandant Piercy and the officers directed my attention to some im- 
mense flocks of these birds flying only a few feet above the water for nearly 
an hour, and moving round the vessel as if completely lost. But when the 
morning is clear, these Swallows rise in a spiral manner from the reeds tc 
