174 The Swallow. 
half; width, thirteen inches. Eggs white, spotted wit! 
dark brown and deep red. 
The Swallow inakes its appearance in England about 
the middle of April, and leaves us again in October ; 
it is, therefore, a migratory bird, and is seen in most 
of the countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa. On its 
arrival here, it frequents those places which are most 
likely to supply both food and shelter: mill-pools, 
thickly bounded by willows on the north and east 
side, which break the cold winds, are generally the 
first places to which the Swallows resort. As summer 
advances they disperse themselves more commonly 
over the country, and are then to be seen in every 
village; but where water is most abundant, these birds 
are to be seen in greater numbers. In May they build 
their nest: the walls are made of mud, bound together 
with straw, and lined with feathers. The nest is often 
placed a few feet down a chimney or on a rafter of a 
shed ; it is very shallow, and will contain five eggs. 
The young remain in the nest till they are fledged, 
when they leave it to fly about with their parents, 
upon whom they wholly depend for their food. As 
