The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-07-14
THE SWIFT SWALLOW
GRACEFUL AND USEFUL M
BER oF THE BIRD FAINT,
Interesting Study Of His Hab,
How the Busy Fellow Build.
His Nest-The Differ
ent Varieties, =

IMAM SWdiio"- A'cA though We n.
not be specially interested in bird
can scarcely watch the flight N
barn swallow for five minutes vfa.s
a feeling of intense admiration ",
him as he swings high overhead. b.
ing his easy flight to the right ., =
as the movements of his agile N
dictate; now watch him as be A.,
gracefully to the level of the tail Pr
the tops of which he fans into suda,'
motion with the breath of his h,
quick pinions. Now straight tow
you he comes. like purple-feath.,,
arrow which must transfix your 81
but with a subtle turn whose des,s.
no human eye can see. he passes ~.
above your head, and you hea, 4
light swish of those marvellous vis-
Then he is gone, and, turning. Won 9
him floating along close to the n
again, and on to some quiet %
whose shining surface breaks olt i.
ripples at the delicate touch. Nor;-
with a speed which would prubaAs
enable him to leave an express -
far behind. he gives no suggestioa
hurry there seems TO be a reserve
power in that slight but steel-bs,
frame which, if he but willed it. you5
carry him five times faster Knoys
the wonderful speed at which he =
about his daily work. does it not -
you catch your breath to think -
he might do if put to it" in ar
and the race were for his life? Aud
barn swallows could appreciate -
how they would smile at the ben &
forts of Mr.. Santos-Dumont and =
other flying-machine men during i
airship contests at St Louis!
In his nesting habits, the barn =
low exhibits what to us seem i
strange preferences, coming =
after year to rear his young In en-,
barns and outbuildings, yet uztd
avoiding others which to all aprr
ances should suit him quite as MI
not better Sometimes the birds
on the outside, under the eava;
other times. they take advantage I
broken window or an open do.
make their homes against some =
lection on the inside of the BUN
The outside of the nest is mad
most of US know, of mud, which
birds collect from the margins
ponds and swamps or the surfz0
wet fields. Inside there is liniIk1
hay. and above these there Is g.
bed of feathers, on which from f0f1
Elk very thin-snelled eggs are lai&
These eggs. which are about -
quarters of an inch in. Length, l.
white. spotted with brown.
The ciiff swallow often make
nest under the caves Of a barn
but, although he makes it OF mn.
Of quite a different shape. InSn6
being open at the top, like that =
barn swallow. 1t is rooted oya<:
has a round entrance-hole at r.
The esgs, four or i've in numb
similar to those of the barn S.
but larger. as rule. This bird
local distribution, and may be CT
in one town, and almost urkloQ
the next
This bird need never be NJ
for the barn swallow, If for =
reason than because its tail a.
are of nearly equal length. II
fous upper tail coverts make s
mark which, If once seen. win -
distinguish this swallow from q
the others.
The largest and handsomest i
swallows is the purple martin,
Is very likely to nest in our or
den IL we take the trouble b
house up for him at the top q
pole set in the lawn. l haxe
martins nest even in a box nd
the peak Of a house roof. I'M
size and his shining blue black !
age will distinguish him from G.
his relatives. as will his stately
and charming liquid song.
The bank swallow, with his =
ish-gray back, white throat and
ish gray band on his throat =
miliar figure where there are
banks in which he can tunnel =
his simple nest of grass or It.
Not always does he take the tn
dig. out a tunnel. however; fms
at least, l have found Q bank sul
nest tn the deserted burrow OF Z
fisher.
The tree-swallow. or white
swallow, as the latter name -
has his under parts pure WIN
his upper parts may be either
or greenish. AS the former %
plies. the bird builds its nee
hole In tree, though someu
will take advantage of the tho
ness of bird-lovers, and build 2
which has been put up for hin
Either as q class or individua-
swallow is a most useful neigh
does absolutely no harm. and
as he does. from daylight unm
he rids the air of myriads q
which are life to him, but
time, might literally be death g
ERNEST HAROLD BAD
No Controlling Interse
docs that fellow own tn
chine" said the man to : poas
rs he saw the automobile gofn
one side Of the street to the Oh
We'll. it doesn't look as y
even a controlling interest,