. The birds and seasons of New England . the Martin and the Swift, are the most conspicuous andmost numerous in this part of the world. These birdshave large wings, fly very swiftly, and without a greatdeal of apparent motion of their wings. It could hardlybe explained on mechanical principles how they are ableto pass through the air with such rapidity. While watch-ing them on the wing, it seems as if they were neverweary; but Daines Barrington says the Swallow makesfrequent pauses for rest while engaged in the pursuit ofinsects. THE BARN-SWALLOW. This is the species with which the inhabitants
. The birds and seasons of New England . the Martin and the Swift, are the most conspicuous andmost numerous in this part of the world. These birdshave large wings, fly very swiftly, and without a greatdeal of apparent motion of their wings. It could hardlybe explained on mechanical principles how they are ableto pass through the air with such rapidity. While watch-ing them on the wing, it seems as if they were neverweary; but Daines Barrington says the Swallow makesfrequent pauses for rest while engaged in the pursuit ofinsects. THE BARN-SWALLOW. This is the species with which the inhabitants of New-England are best acquainted. But they are every yearbecoming fewer, and this diminution of their numbers isattributed by Mr. S. P. Fowler to our modern tight they often build under the eaves of houses andin sheds, they find in these places but limited accommo-dations, compared with the old-fashioned barns that wereformerly scattered over the whole country. There arenow hundreds only where thirty years ago there were. BIRDS OF THE AIR. 249 thousands, all swarming with these lively birds, whobuilt their nests on the horizontal beams that supportedthe barn roof. The birds left us when they were de-prived of their tenements, while the Cliff-Swallow, thatbuilds under the eaves of barns and houses and underprojecting cliffs of rocks, has increased, feeding upon thelarger quantity of insects consequent upon the absenceof the Barn-Swallow. This species is of a social habit; fond of building andbreeding, as it were, in small communities. An old-fashioned barn has been known to contain as many astwo dozen nests. They are constructed of materials simi-lar to those of a Eobins nest; but the Swallow adds tothe lining of grass a few feathers, which the Eobin doesnot use. Dr. Brewer alludes to a custom among the Barn-Swallows of building an extra platform against, but dis-tinct from the nest itself, designed as a roosting-place forthe parents, used by one during incubatio
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