Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-09-28
THESWIFT SWALLOW
GRACEFUL AND USEFUL MEX.
BER OF THE BIRD FAMILY.
Interesting Study Of His Habits
How the Busy Fellow Builds
His Nest-The Differ
emit Varieties.

Il wonder if it would be possible to
imagine more perfect flying machine
than a swallow. Even though we may
not be specially Interested inrbirds. We
.sean scarcely watch the flight of
barn swallow for five minutes without
a feeling of intense admiration. Mark
him as he swings high overhead, bend
: ing his easy fight to the right or left,
as the movements of his agile prey
dictate; now watch him as he drops
gracefully to the level of the tall grass.
the tops of which he fans into sudden
motion with the breath. of his long
quick pinions. Now straight toward
you he comes, like a pufple-feathered
arrow which must transfix your body,
but with a subtle turn whose details
s no human eye, can see, he passes close
above your head. and you hear the
light swish of those marvellous wings.
Thep he is gone, and, turning. you see
him floating along close to the grass
again, and on to some quiet pond
. whose shining. surface breaks out into
ripples at the delicate touch, Moving
with a speed which would probably
far behind. he gives no suggestion of
hurry there seems to be a reserve OF
power in that slight but steel-built
frame which, if he but willed it, would
carry him five times faster. Knowing
the wonderful speed at which he goes
about his daily work, does it not make
you catch your breath to think what
he might do if put to it" in a race.
and the race were for his life? And il
barn swallows could appreciate joke.
how they would smile at the best Ell
forts of Mr.. Santos-Dumont and the
other f1ying-machine men during the
alrShip contests at St Louis!
In his nesting habits, the barn swal-
low exhibits what to us seem to be
strange preferences. coming year
after year to rear his young in certain
barns and outbuildings, yet strictly
avoiding others which to ali appear
ances should suit him quite as well, il
not better. Sometimes the birds build
on the outside, under the caves; at
other times, they take advantage of
broken window or an open door, tn
make their homes against some pro-
lection on the inside of the building
The outside of the nest is made, az
most of us know, of mud, which the
birds collect from the margins of
ponds and Swamps or the surface Of
wet fields. Inside there is a lining oil
hay, and above these there is a soft
bed of feathers, on which from four tc
six very thin-shelled eggs are laid
These eggs. which are about three
quarters of an inch in length. ara
white, spotted with brown
The cliff swallow often makes his
nest under the caves of a barn also
but, although he makes it of mud, it il
OF quite different shape. Instead oh
being open at the top, like that of the
barn swallow, it is rooted over, ant
has a round entrance-hole at the side ;
The eggs, four or five in number, are
similar to those of the barn swallow
but larger as a rule This bird is o.
local distribution, and may be common
in one town, and almost unknown I'D
the next. 4stss asss stts -. i.i't' Sees
This bird need never be mistaken
for the barn swallow if for no othe.
reason than because it's tail feathers
are of nearly equal length. The ru-
fous upper tail coverts make a field
mark which. if once seen. will serve tc
distinguish this swallow from any OF
the others. isit'' 'tts-'''ii -t-4i
The largest and handsomest Of our
swallows is the purple martin, which
is very likely to nest in our own gar
den if we take the trouble to put
house up for him at the top of a tall
pole set in the lawn. l have seen
martins nest even in box nailed to
the peak of house roof His Iargs
size and his shining blue-black plum
age will distinguish him from any of
his relatives. as will. his stately flight
and charming liquid song. .g
The bank swallow, with his brown
ish-gray back, white throat and brown.
ish gray band on his throat, is a ia
miliar figure where there are sand
banks in which he can tunnel to hide
his simple nest of grass or feathers
Not always does he take the trouble to
dig out a tunnel, however; for, once
at least, 4 have found bank swallows
nest in the deserted burrow of a king
fisher. 49,, 49,,
The tree-swallow, or white-beIlied
swallow, as the latter name suggests.
has. his. under parts. pure white, but
his upper parts may be either blush
or greenish. = AS the former name inn
plies. the bird builds its nest In a
hole IN a Tree. Though sometimes it
will take advantage of the thoughtful
ness Of bird-lovers, and build in a box
which has been put up for him
Either as class or individually. the
swallow is most useful neighbor He
does absolutely no harm, and working.
as he does, from daylight until dusk.
he rids the air of myriads of insects
which are life to him. but which, in
time, might literally be death to us.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.
+ No Controlling Interest.
Does that fellow own that ma.