ing but returned to the nest at night, generally going and com¬ 
ing together. On the fifth night only two returned and after 
that they occupied the nest no more. I imagined I saw the 
family party several times, however, as a group of six or seven 
barn swallows flew past, and occasionally they would fly around 
under the porch, the adults pouring forth their souls in song. 
This use of the nest by the young as a sleeping place is interesting. 
Most birds when they fly the nest do not return. 
In “Sand Dunes and Salt Marshes” I described in some 
detail the roosting and migration habits of our swallows. Here 
I will say something of their play. Swallows are social birds; 
not only does each associate with its own species,, but all four 
species, the Barn, Tree, Eave, and Bank Swallows are often 
found in the same assembly gathered together for roosting, 
migrating, feeding or play. Their enjoyment in their perfect 
mastery of the air is very evident. They fly not only for the 
purpose of getting food but for the pleasure of flying, chasing 
each other back and forth, skimming trees and buildings and 
even human beings by hairs ’ breadths. One of the best places 
to watch this social sport of flying is at a pond. By far the 
majority of the birds with us are Tree Swallows but a moderate 
number of Barn Swallows and a few Eave and Bank Swallows 
may be seen. One September day at sunset a flock of many 
hundreds if not thousands of these birds were alighted on the 
bushes, fence rails and wires near the waters of Sagamore Pond. 
They arose with the roar of many wings, and, turning first 
their dark then their white surfaces to the observer, swirled 
about in irregular groups. Then they all flew close to the 
water, and every now and then hurled themselves at it so that 
the quiet surface of the pond was pitted with splashes as from 
a bombardment. Their heads, backs and wings were soused 
in the water, which they shook off in skewers as they arose. 
At times they would dip lightly several times in succession. At 
last they all arose high in the air and turned in the direction of 
their night roost, but the temptation to stay up a little longer 
and renew their play and the fun of the bath was too great and 
they returned and again bombarded the water. Finally when 
the whole sky was suffused with an orange glow, deepening to 
crimson, they tore themselves away from their sport, rose to 
35 
