THE
SWALLOW.
"Come,
summer visitant, attach
To my reedroof thy nest of clay,
And let my ear thy music catch,
Low twitting underneath the thatch,
At the gray dawn of day."
| SURE harbingers of
spring are the Swallows. They are very common birds, and
frequent, as a rule, the cultivated lands in the
neighborhood of water, showing a decided preference for
the habitations of man. "How gracefully the swallows
fly! See them coursing over the daisy-bespangled grass
fields; now they skim just over the blades of grass and
then with a rapid stroke of their long wings mount into
the air and come hovering above your head, displaying
their rich white and chestnut plumage to perfection. Now
they chase each other for very joyfulness, uttering their
sharp twittering notes then they hover with expanded
wings like miniature Kestrels, or dart downwards with the
velocity of the sparrowhawk; anon they flit rapidly over
the neighboring pool, occasionally dipping themselves in
its calm and placid waters, and leaving a long train of
rings marking their varied course. How easily they turn,
or glide over the surrounding hedges, never resting,
never weary, and defying the eye to trace them in the
infinite turning's and twistings of their rapid shooting
flight. You frequently see them glide rapidly near the ground, and then with a sidelong motion mount aloft, to dart downwards like an animated meteor, their plumage glowing in the light with metallic splendor, and the row of white spots on the tail contrasting beautifully with the darker plumage." The Swallow is considered a life-paired species, and returns to its nesting site of the previous season, building a new nest close to the old one. |
His nest is found in barns and
outhouses, upon the beams of wood which support the roof,
or in any place which assures protection to the young
birds. It is cup-shaped and artfully moulded of bits of
mud. Grass and feathers are used for the lining.
"The nest completed, five or six eggs are deposited.
They are of a pure white color, with deep rich brown
blotches and spots, notably at the larger end, round
which they often form a zone or belt." The sitting
bird is fed by her mate. The young Swallow is distinguished from the mature birds by the absence of the elongated tail feathers, which are a mark of maturity alone. His food is composed entirely of insects. Swallows are on the wing fully sixteen hours, and the greater part of the time making terrible havoc amongst the millions of insects which infest the air. It is said that when the Swallow is seen flying high in the heavens, it is a never failing indication of fine weather. A pair of Swallows on arriving at their nesting place of the preceding Summer found their nest occupied by a Sparrow, who kept the poor birds at a distance by pecking at them with his strong beak whenever they attempted to dislodge him. Wearied and hopeless of regaining possession of their property, they at last hit upon a plan which effectually punished the intruder. One morning they appeared with a few more Swallows — their months filled with a supply of tempered clay — and, by their joint efforts in a short time actually plastered up the entrance to the hole, thus barring the Sparrow from the home which he had stolen from the Swallows. |