Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-11-22
THE SWIFT SWALLOW
GRACEFUL AND USEFUL MEM.
Der OF THE BIRD FAMILY.
'1teresting Study of His Habits
How the Busy Fellow Builds
His Nest-The Differ
emit Varieties.

emit Var1eC1eS.
wonder If it would be possible to
imagine a more perfect flying machine
than swallow Even though we may
not be specially interested In birds. we
can scarcely watch the fight OF 3
barn swallow for five minutes without
a feeling of intense admiration. Marx
him as he swings high overhead, bend
ing his easy flight 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 purple-feathered
arrow which must transfix your body.
but with subtle turn whose details
no human eye can see. he passes close
above your head, and you hear the
light swish of those marvellous wings.
Then 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 speed which would probably
enable him to leave an express train
far behind, he gives no suggestion OF
hurry there seems to be 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 if
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
airship 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 all appear
ances should suit him quite as we'll, it
not better Sometimes the birds builJ
on the outside, under the caves; at
other times, they take advantage of q
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, as
most of us know, of mud, whica the
birds collect from the margins Of
ponds and swamps or the surface Of
wet fields. Inside there is a. lining Of
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 hi.
nest under the caves of a barn also
but, although he makes, it of mud, it il
of quite different shape Instead OF
being open at the top, like that of the
barn swallow, it is rooted over. anS
has round entrance-hole at the side
The eggs, four or five in number, are
similar to those of the barn swallow
but larger, as rule. This bird is o.
local distribution and may be common
in one town, and almost unknown ID
the next
This bird need never be mistaken
for the barn swallow, il for no othe.
reason than because its 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.
The largest and handsanest 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. / have seen
martins nest even in a box nailed to
the peak of a house roof. His larea
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.
The bank swallow. with his brown
fsh-gray back, white throat and brown
1sh gray band on his throat, is 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 tunnel, however; for, once
at least, have found bank swallows
nest in the deserted burrow of a king
fisher.
The tree-swallow, or white-beIlied
swallow, as the latter name suggests,
has his under parts pure white, bu.
his upper parts may be either blush
or greenish. AS the former name inn
plies. the bird builds its nest in a
hole in 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 a 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 as
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES
No Controlling Interest
docs that fellow own that ma
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