Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-09-18
WHEN THE SWALLOWS
HOMEWARD FLY AND
SAY GOODBYE SUMMER


Those sweet songsters, the birds,
have never fitted about in greater
numbers or sung more sweetly than
this summer, and now that summer is
about over they are taking their leave
and singing their farewell.
! Dr. Samuel Garner, lover of birds,
in speaking of the "Homeward Flying
OF the Swallows" the other day 10 a
representative OF the Evening Capital.
said:
The residents OF Spa View Heights
have been much entertained during
the last several weeks by the gather
/ ing of the swallows for their home
ward fight. The kind OF swallow OBJ
served is known as the tree swallow,
from it's primitive habit OF building its
nest in the hollows of old trees. In
some parts of the country IL still con-
tinues this habit; but like many other
animals il was not slow to put itself
under the protection of man, when the
country began to get settled, and
readily took 20 the boxes put up for its
nesting accommodation.
1.-THE tree swallow is about six in
ches long and is easily recognized by
| its steel-blue upper feathers and
snowy white underparts. 1t has a
very wide, capacious mouth. which is
very helpful in catching insects while
in flight. its @usual method of feeding.
Its breeding grounds comprise a
large part of the United States and
Canada, especially the western por-
tons, and as far as Northwestern
Alaska. 1t finds winter quarters in
central California southern Texas, the
Gulf States, and as far south as
Guatemala.
"As soon as a sufficient number of
| insects are on the wing, generally
early in April, swallows begin to ar
rive from the South and commence at
once their nest-building. Two years
ago II was reported that. owing to the
backward spring, many insects re-
manned dormant until late, and many
swallows died for want of proper food.
SIN this latitude they begin to drift
down from the North and towards
sunset gather in immense numbers on
tho telephone and electric wires, and
I. chorus of chattering is kept up until
near dark, when they disappear to
take shelter in the trees. Early in
the morning they are on the wing
again The present observer was not
able to ascertain whether the same
flock returns in the evening. He is
inclined to believe that, when they find
good feeding ground, they tarry sew
eral days, increasing in numbers up to
twelve or fifteen hundred, when they
continue their southwark course. Then
others arrive and go through the same
performance. Several gatherings OF
this kind have been noted.
ION the wing they are the most
graceful in their movements of all
birds, turning, doubling, darling up
wards and then downwards, all this in
their efforts to catch insects, of which
they consume immense numbers
Their economic status, therefore, is
very high. Gnats, ants, mosquitoes
beetles and many other flying insects
constitute their chief food. s
Being such an attractive and inter-
esting bird, the swallow has played its
part in legend and song. The Swedes
have a tradition that its Germanic
name came from the fact that swal-
low lowered over the Cross of the
Savior, crying svala! svalal Console,
cnosoleD.
I'm Evangeline. Part l, Longfellow
gives credence to the belief that a
swallow brings home from the sea-
shore a certain stone. which gives
sight to her fledglings.
According to a Roman superstition
it is lucky for swallow to build about
ones house.
THE old song, When the Swallows
Homeward Fly set to music, if not
composed, ana dedicated to Agatha, by
Abt, was once most popular Witness
also Tosti's Goodbye:
Tho swallows are making them ready
to fly,
Soaring out on stormy sky;
Goodbye, summer! Goodbye!"
WOMEN VOTERS