The swallow (probably the male) announces the approach of birds of prey: as soon as the hawk appears, he calls all the swallows and martins about him; "who pursue in a body and buffet and strike their enemy, till they have driven him from the village; darting down from above on his back, and rising again in a perpendicular line, in perfect security.'

In America there is a chimney swallow of somewhat the same habits as our own; but, before chimneys were so plentiful as now they are, it appears they were in the habit of building their nests in the inside of hollow trees; and even now, when they first arrive, great numbers roost together in such hollow trees, which are celebrated through the country as swallow trees. A person who watched the birds emerging in the morning from their snug retreat gives the following account of it:

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They rushed out like a stream, as big as the hole would admit, and ascended in a perpen

* "When insects fly low, the swallows are forced to follow and we have seen," says an observer, "the wily cat stretch herself on the sunny grass plot, with her legs extended, as if dead; the flies collect about her; the simple swallows (thinking no harm) dart down, with open bill, upon the flies; when puss, perceiving her prey within reach, makes a spring like a flash of lightning, and strikes down with her paw the poor thoughtless swallow." Mag. Nat. Hist., No. xxiii.

dicular line, until they were above the height of the adjacent trees; then assumed a circular motion, performing their evolutions two or three times, but always in a larger circle; and then dispersed in every direction. A little before sundown they returned in immense numbers, forming several circular motions, and then descended like a stream into the hole from whence they came out in the morning."*

A pleasing account of the swallow is given in Bewick's Birds, which will amply repay the perusal of a youthful enquirer:- “ A young swallow soon became attached to the children who reared him; opened his mouth for flies as fast as he could be supplied, and was fed to a whistle. In a few days they used to take him into the fields with them; and as each child found a fly, and whistled, the little bird flew for his prey from one to the other. At other times he would fly round them in the air, but always descended at the first call, in spite of the constant endeavours of the wild swallows to seduce him away; for which purpose, several would fly round him, striving to drive him away when they saw him about to settle on the children's hands, extended with food."+

* Wilson's American Ornithology.

+ Bewick's British Birds.

That amusing little bird, the House Martin, is also admirably described by Mr. White; who remarks, "that in building their nests they are careful not to do too much at once; lest, whilst the work is soft and green, it should pull itself down by its own weight: about half an inch seems a sufficient layer for a day. House martins are distinguished from their congeners by having their legs covered with soft downy feathers down to their toes. Martins are by far the least agile of the four species; accordingly, they make use of a placid easy motion in a middle region of the air, seldom mounting to any great height, and never sweeping long together over the surface of the ground or water."*

The arms of a fourth child are known by the addition of a martin or martlet; inasmuch (say the quaint heralds of old times) as that bird with long wings and very short legs hath great pain to rise from the earth, so will a fourth brother, being so far removed from the main branch and the family estate, have much difficulty, without great exertion, to raise himself.

There are few more delightful and placid scenes than to view these beautiful and happy birds, in a warm summer's evening, sporting around us in the air, dipping into the smooth

* White.

lake, and twittering with complacency and joy. We pity the unfortunate person whose mind does not in some measure take the hue of the hour, expanding with gratitude, and wishing happiness to every living thing.

In the amusing work on the Architecture of Birds, the author quotes a writer in the Gentleman's Magazine, who says: "For my part, I am not ashamed to own that I have tempted window swallows to build round my house, by fixing scallop shells in places convenient for them; and have been much pleased in observing with what caution the little architect raises a buttress ur der each shell, before he ventures to form his nest on it.”*

The Anglo-Americans have many contrivances for enticing birds to build near their houses being particularly partial to the barn swallow, they fix up boxes for it to nestle in. The proprietor of a barn in that country assured Wilson, "that if a man permitted swallows to be shot, his cows would give bloody milk;" and also, "that no barn where swallows frequented would ever be struck by lightning." We wish this kind-hearted superstition were more general here; and think, as a reward is given by law (though somewhat obsolete) for

* Library of Entertaining Knowledge.

the destruction of birds supposed to be injurious to man, so, as a matter of justice, there should be a fine on those who destroy birds friendly and advantageous to us. On this point, we believe, all lovers of birds will agree with us. In approaching any mansion, we are always pleased with the sight of a number of martins and swallows playing about in security, which almost indicate the disposition of the owner; as the well-fed sleek cattle, Southdown sheep, and large flock of copper-coloured turkeys near the house, give note of hospitality within.

The celebrated American naturalist, Wilson, quite enters into this feeling; and, describing the purple martin (a beautiful summer visitant in the United States), he says: "The summer residence of this agreeable bird is universally among the habitations of man; who, having no interest in his destruction, and deriving considerable advantage, as well as amusement, from his company, is generally his friend and protector. Some people have large conveniences formed for the martins, with many apartments, which are usually fully tenanted, and occupied regularly every spring; and in such places particular individuals have been noticed to return to the same box for several successive years. Even the solitary Indian seems to have a particular respect for this bird. The Chactaws