. The birds and seasons of New England . gather the followingfacts, slightly abridging his statements. He remarks thatthe swallows have suffered more changes than any otherbirds of our vicinity. The barn-swallows long since lefttheir ancient breeding-places, the overhanging cliffs ofrocks, and have sought buildings erected by man ; thechimney-swallow has deserted the hollow sycamore for 332 CHANGES IN THE HABITS OF BIRDS. some deserted chimney; and the cliff-swallow has leftthe shelving rock to seek shelter under the eaves of ourroofs. The purple martin and white-bellied swallowhave left the w
. The birds and seasons of New England . gather the followingfacts, slightly abridging his statements. He remarks thatthe swallows have suffered more changes than any otherbirds of our vicinity. The barn-swallows long since lefttheir ancient breeding-places, the overhanging cliffs ofrocks, and have sought buildings erected by man ; thechimney-swallow has deserted the hollow sycamore for 332 CHANGES IN THE HABITS OF BIRDS. some deserted chimney; and the cliff-swallow has leftthe shelving rock to seek shelter under the eaves of ourroofs. The purple martin and white-bellied swallowhave left the wilderness to find a home in our purple martins, during the last fifty years, have grad-ually diminished in Eastern Massachusetts. He thinksit equally certain that the barn-swallows are growingless numerous, and attributes their diminution to ourmodern tight barns. Chimney-swallows, on the otherhand, have become more numerous. The opening of thePacific Railroad, he thinks; will cause both plants andbirds to follow its BIEDS OF THE MOOR THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK. The American Woodcock is a more interesting birdthan we should suppose from his general appearance andphysiognomy. He is mainly nocturnal in his habits, andhis ways are very singular and worthy of study. He ob-tains his food by scratching up the leaves and rubbishthat lie upon the surface of the ground in damp andwooded places, and by boring into the earth for remains concealed in the wood during the day, andcomes out to feed at twilight, choosing the open ploughedland where worms are abundant. Yet it is probable thatin the shade of the wood he is more or less busy amongthe leaves in the daytime. The Woodcock does not usually venture abroad in theopen day, unless he be disturbed and driven from hisretreat. He makes his first appearance here early inApril, and at this time we may observe that soaring habitwhich renders him one of the picturesque objects ofnature. This soaring takes place soon aft
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