'1 'HE TASMANIA N N A T U R A LI ST. 
35 
Hrrival of Swallows in Casmania, 
Bv E. A. ELLIOTT. 
¥ N order to ascertain the time taken by the Welcom Swallow (Hirundo 
— neoxena) to spread over the Island after its return to Tasmania in 
the spring from its winter quarters on the Mainland, a number of 
‘ swallow-cards ’ were sent to numerous correspondents during the years 
i9°5-6-7. The result of the returns is given in the table below. 
Montague 
— 
30-S-06 
22-8-07 
Smith toil 
— 
11-9-06 
8-9-07 
Stanley 
— 
23-8-06 
l’l version e 
27-8-05 
15-8-06 
3-9-07 
Devon port 
15-8-05 
21-8-06 
27-8-07 
George Town 
— 
16-8-06 
17-8-07 
Boobvalla 
— 
28-8-06 
4-9-07 
Ringarooma 
13-8-05 
24-8-06 
29-S-07 
Westbury 
29-8-05 
30-8-06 
30-8-07 
Launceston 
17-8-05 
26-8-06 
Lymingtoii, N. 
1S-S-05 
— 
_ 
Cullenswood (St. Mary’s) 
26-8-05 
— 
3-9-07 
Epping 
25-8-05 
23-8-06 
19-9-07 
Campbell Town 
25-8-05 
1-9-06 
26-8-07 
Ross 
26-8-05 
3-9-06 
Oatlauds 
26-S-05 
4-9-06 
_ 
Kelvedon (Swansea) 
25-8-05 
17-S-06 
19-S-07 
Triabuniia 
— 
22-8-06 
25-8-07 
Richmond 
28-8-05 
4-9-06 
S-9-n7 
Forcett 
28-8-05 
23-8-06 
6-9-07 
Carnarvon 
—. 
6-9-06 
3-9-07 
Hythe—Southport 
31-S-05 
10-9-06 
9-9-07 
Kingston 
3-9-05 
2-9-06 
5-9-07 
Hobart 
26-8-05 
12-9-06 
2-9-07 
Kempton 
— 
6-9-06 
30-8-07 
Both well 
— 
3-9-06 
6-9-07 
Great Lake 
— 
2-9-06 
12-9-07 
Waratah 
16-10-05 
— 
— 
Zeehan 
5-9-05 
10-9-06 
7-9-07 
Strahan 
1-9-05 
11-9-06 
5-9-07 
Examination of the above table proves that the swallows do not 
arrive in the State in a general body but rather in small flocks, and they 
may appear on the East Coast in the neighbourhood of Swansea before 
they are seen on the North Coast. Confusion sometimes is caused 
through only one or two birds being seen-, and it is evident that a small 
number stay in the State during the whole year; on the 2nd July, 1909, 
I saw one flying in the streets of Hobart, and have heard of others from 
time to time being seen elsewhere. 
During 1906 the swallows dispersed themselves over the Island in 
a fairly regularly manner, but in the following year, possibly owing to 
the very cold and wet spring, great variation in their movements was 
noticeable — records from places close together showing perhaps a fort¬ 
night between the dates of arrivals. Certainly these birds do not arrive 
in a body as when they leave on their migration in the autumn—this 
latter sight I once witnessed, there being a very large stream of birds, 
stretching from horizon to horizon, flying to the northwards. 
