A Citizen of North America from the Fur Countries southward, visiting all but the most southern of the United States.
Belonging both to the Tree Trappers and Fruit Sowers.
CHAPTER XIV
THE SWALLOWS
""Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still. "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can"t tell them apart.
"There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States. These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
"As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
All are officers who rank high in the guild of Sky Sweepers, being constantly in the air seizing their insect food on the wing; thus they kill all sorts of flies, flying ants, small winged beetles, midges, and mosquitoes. They have lithe and shapely bodies, strong, slender wings, wide mouths, and flat, broad bills coming to a sharp point, which makes it easy for them to secure whatever they meet in the air. So swift and sure is their flight that they can feed their newly flown nestlings in mid air; but their feet are small and weak, so that in perching they usually choose something small and easy to grasp, like a telegraph wire.
"Though they nest in all parts of the country, some species going to the Fur Countries, as far north as any trees grow, yet they all seek a very warm climate for their winter home, because it is only in such places that the insects of the air are found. The distance, therefore, between the summer and winter homes of the Swallow family is very great, and these brave little birds are wonderful travellers.
"They are so swift on the wing that they do not fear to fly in the day-time, and so escape a great many of the accidents that overtake birds who travel by night. They come to the middle parts of the United States during the month of April, and start on their southward journey during late September and early October.
"After mating they either choose separate nesting places, or keep together in colonies. In early autumn they gather in great flocks along the borders of rivers, ponds, and lakes, often also on sea beaches, where they fly to and fro, as if strengthening their wings for the long flight they intend to take. It has been recently discovered by the Wise Men that these birds, who had been supposed to eat nothing but insects, feed at this time upon the same bayberries of which the Yellow-rumped Warbler is so fond; and that is one reason why they stay by the sandy wastes where these bushes grow. But no doubt Rap could have told us that, if we had asked him about it. Another reason for lingering near water is, that winged insects fly about wet places later in the season than they do in dry ones."
"But you have left out the Chimney Swallow," said Nat; "and there are plenty of them all about everywhere." "I have not left him out. Have you forgotten that he does not belong to the Swallow family? Though he looks like a Swallow and flies like one, the Wise Men know that he is not a song bird, and have put him where he belongs--with the Birds that Croak and Call, next to the Hummingbird and Nighthawk. They call him the Chimney Swift, because he flies so fast, and you must always give him his right name.
"If you write very carefully in your little books the description of our four common Swallows, you will not find it difficult to name them when you see them. We will begin with the largest--the Purple Martin."
"Why is it called "Martin"?" asked Rap. "Did somebody named Martin find it, as Mr. Wilson found the Thrush they named after him?"
"No, my boy, the name comes from a Latin word, meaning "warlike" or "martial," because in the Old World certain Swallows there called Martins were considered good fighters, and very brave in driving away Hawks and other cannibal birds. Don"t you remember that Mars was the G.o.d of War in cla.s.sic mythology, and haven"t you heard soldiers complimented on their fine _martial_ appearance?"
The Purple Martin
Length seven and a half inches.
Upper parts shining blue-black, not quite so glossy on the wings and forked tail.
Under parts the same as the upper in the male, but grayish-white in the female and young ones.
Song rich and musical, of two or three flute-like notes. Nest made of a few leaves or straws, in a bird-box when it is provided--otherwise in a hollow tree. Eggs white, without any spots.
A good Summer Citizen and a favorite everywhere; but for many reasons it is growing scarcer every year. The English Sparrow is one of its greatest enemies, and not only drives it from its nesting-boxes, but attacks the young birds.
A member of the guild of Sky Sweepers.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Purple Martin 1. Male 2. Female]
The Barn Swallow
Length six to seven inches.
Upper parts shining steel-blue, but the face buff.
Under parts rich buff, brick-red on the throat, where there is also a steel-blue collar.
Tail very long and deeply forked, with the side-feathers narrow, and some white spots on them.
Song a musical laugh, heard when the birds fly low over meadows and ponds.
Nest a sort of bracket, made of little mud b.a.l.l.s and straw stuck on a beam in a hayloft. Eggs white, with plenty of reddish-brown spots.
A Summer Citizen in most of the United States.
A Sky Sweeper of the very first rank.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Barn Swallow.]
"Barney is a charming neighbor, who should be welcome in every home--sociable, musical, and very useful in destroying the flies and gnats that worry horses and cattle. Though it builds its first nest in May, it often brings out its last brood in August; thus during its long nesting season consuming a very large share of insects, and proving itself a kind friend to the cows at a time when flies are most persistent."
The Tree Swallow.
(Or WHITE-BELLIED SWALLOW)
Length six inches.
Upper parts sparkling green, with darker wings and tail, the latter but little forked.
Under parts snow-white.
A sweet, twittering song.
Nests in the hollows of dead trees, usually in old Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs" holes, but occasionally in bird-boxes. Eggs pure white.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Tree Swallow.]
A good Citizen of the United States, but more shy than the Martin and Barn Swallow; these two often return, year after year, to some favorite nesting place, but the Tree Swallow is not so reliable.
A Sky Sweeper.
The Bank Swallow
(Or SAND MARTIN)
The smallest Swallow, only five inches long.
Upper parts dusty brown, darker on the wings, and tail forked a little, like the Tree Swallow"s. Under parts white, with a brown band across the breast.