BIRD LIFE IN WASHINGTON 
53 
There are few birds, if any, who have 
no love song. The swallows can sing as 
well as twitter. 
NORTHERN VIOLET GREEN 
SWALLOW 
From among all onr swallows, the Vio¬ 
let Green carries off the beaut}^ prize. A 
part of his back is a bright leaf green, 
the rest a beautiful violet. His breast is 
clear white like Tree Swallows. 
Tree Swallow and Violet Green Swal¬ 
low are often found sporting together. 
BARN SWALLOWS 
Every year brings a flock of these small 
workers in pottery to our town. There is 
a large brick building in the center of the 
village which, apparenty, is just to their 
liking. We sometimes find about forty 
bowl-shaped bits of pottery under the 
eaves of this house. The nests are placed 
in rows on the east and south sides of the 
house. 
I have often watched the birds gather 
the building clay. They troop down up¬ 
on a mud puddle, a dozen or more at a 
time. There they keep their tiny wings 
fluttering over their backs—butterfly 
fashion. This is to keep their dainty feet 
from sinking into the mud. 
They pick up balls of the mud, and fly 
to the eaves with them. Tliev carrv ball 
after ball. Each neAv one is plastered 
