Thomas County cat., 1889-08-15
THE BARN SWALLOW.
As Exceeds An Other Members Of Its Fan
tlY In EasA and Celorifx

The BARN SWALLOW.
As Exceeds An Other Members Of Its Fam
lily In Ease and Celebrity.
Nearly hundred species of swal-
lows and score or more of swifts are
recognized by naturalists. North
America. exclusive of Mexico, is
favored with seven of the former and
four OF the latter, while only three
species OF swallows and one or two
OF swifts come regularly to Europe.
Our common or "barn" swallow is
very similar to the European chimney
swallow. and, in fact, may here be
considered as identical. the specific
distinctions being feebly marked. In
both continents the barn swallow. to
use the least confusing term, is the
favorite of his family. and is the only
bird commonly called Swallow" in
Europe. both of the remaining species
being termed martins" He exceeds
all others of the better-known swal-
lows in ease aud celebrity of motion.
and in the cheerful confidence with
which he regards human kind. / fancy
he does not often place his nest in the
chimneys of modern England. howev-
er convenient he may have found those
structures as built in ancient days.
Barns and out-buildings are his favor
ite summer homes; but in default of
these, in wild places, a convenient
spot about a cliff or quarry is utilized.
His twittering notes, though not In
any sense a ':song." are always agree
able. and when heard, some breezy
summer afternoon. among the rafters
of a rOOmy old barn, when one is ly-
ing in a half-lethargic state upon the
new-mown hay, are certainly the most
pleasant and soothing of rural sounds.
Barn swallows nests are usually made
on a beam or rafter, Or plastered to
the side of these supports. The ma
terial is mud. mixed with fine hay and
grass. and strengthened with the glu-
tinous saliva of the bird. The eggs
are wkite, thickly spotted with brown,
as are those also of the cliff swallow
All the rest of our swallows. together
with the swifts, have pure white eggs.
Young barn swallows are not for some
time able to follow the aerial evolu-
tions of their parents, owing to the
slow growth of the long outer tail
feathers that serve so admirably to
balance the adults. They spend much
of their time at rest. and even alight
on the ground to pick up insects.
Notwithstanding their wonderful
command of the air. swallows are ap-
parently as much exhausted by long
migration as birds of far inferior voli.
torial powers. During the passage of
the Gulf of Mexico numbers alight
upon every passing vessel, and even
fall into the sea. The ordinary speed
of the barn swallow has been estimated
at a mile minute, ..hich rate. MAIN
tanned for a few hours, would easily
enable them to compass any stretch of
water that may lie in their way.
In ancient times swallows were the
subject of many strange tales and fa-
bles. but were uniformly respected as
the winged messengers of spring. 1t
was always thought unlucky to kill
them, and survival of these SUPER
stitiOns is now sometimes noticed in
remote districts, where the killing of
a barn swallow is supposed to cause
cows to give bloody milk. and the nest
ing of these'agreeable birds in a barn
to protect it from lightning. Long
may such notions pass current. if they
serve to save the swallows; for it sure
ly is bad luck to harm creatures SO
useful and pleasing: Wilson, in al.
luding to this matter. acutely remarks:
when the t.nets of superstition lean
to the side of humanity. one can heart
lily respect them;" and l am sure we
all heartily agree with him. Louis
Globe Democrat