lands north of the great lakes*. What cause could have thus suddenly called
into action that confidence in the human race with which the Framer of
the Universe has endowed this species, in common with others of the Swallow
tribe ? It has been supposed that birds frequenting desert countries, and unaccustomed
to annoyance from man, would approach him fearlessly, or at least
be less shy than those inhabiting thickly-peopled districts, where they are daily
exposed to the attacks of the great destroyer of their tribes. But although this
may be true of some families of birds, it is far from being generally the case.
On the contrary, the small birds of the fur-countries, which are never objects of
pursuit, and scarcely even of notice to the Indian hunter, are shy, retiring, and
distrustful, their habits contrasting strongly with the boldness and familiarity of
the Sparrows, that are persecuted to death by every idle boy in Europe. Nay,
some species, which are bold enough during their winter residence in the United
States, evince great timidity in the northern regions, where the raising their
progeny occupies their whole time. In like manner, the Redbreast of Europe,
familiar as it is in winter, sequesters itself with the greatest care in the breeding
season. The question, however, recurs,—what is the peculiarity of economy
which leads one species of bird to conceal its nest with the most extraordinary
care and address, and another to place its offspring in the most it can select? exposed situation
At Fort Chepewyan the young came abroad on the 14th of July, and at the end
of the month the whole took their departure. The nest is hemispherical, composed
externally of small pellets of tempered mud, and lined with soft hay and a few
feathers. When attached to cliffs, the nests are clustered together, and each has an
irregular tubular entrance at the top, an inch or two long, aptly compared, by Mr.
James, to the broken neck of a retort. Under the eaves of a house, the nests are
in a single line, not clustered; their form is adapted to the situation, and the
tubular entrance is either entirely wanting or reduced to a mere ledge. The nests
are easily destroyed by rain; and as they generally face the south-west, a gale from
that quarter, which is of comparatively rare occurrence in the month of July in the
fur-countries, destroys great numbers of them. The labour of building is performed
chiefly in the morning, and three or four days suffice to complete the
shell of the dwelling. The eggs, usually four, are oblong, of a white colour, with
, I Governor De Witt Clinton, ha» given a very interesting history of the closely resembling species H.
futva, winch abont sixteen years ago began to build its nests on the walls of houses in the Western States, and has'
every succeeding summer, been advancing farther to the eastward .— Vide Ann. Lye. New York, i„ P .156.
dusky spots. The note of this species is a gentle twittering, like that of the
H . urbica of Europe, which it strongly resembles in its mode of building. When
the bird is angry or alarmed, it utters a feeble, but harsh and acute scream. It
preys on mosquitoes and other small winged insects.
DESCRIPTION
Of a male, killed on the Saskatchewan, June 26, 1827-
Colour.—Region of the bill, lores, and orbits, black. Top of the head, back, and scapulars
also black, glossed with violet-purple. Chin, throat, and sides of the head and nape,
bright brownish-red: nuchal collar greyish-brown. Rump and vent wood-brown. Wings
and tail blackish-brown, with a greenish gloss, the lesser quills edged on the tips with grey ;
tail coverts above and below clove-brown, fringed with brownish-white. Crescentic frontal
band and belly white. Breast and flanks brownish-grey.—Female like the male.
Form typical. Wings a little longer than the slightly forked tail*. The first quill is the
longest, the lesser ones, as usual, are deeply emarginated.
Dimensions.
Inch. Lin. Inch. Lin. Inch. Lin.
Length, total . 6 3 Length of bill above . . 0 4 Length of middle nail . 0 2
,, • of tail 2 3 ■„ of tarsus . . 0 6 ,, of hind toe . 0 2è
„ of wing . 4 6 „ of middle toe . . 0 H ,, of its nail . 0 2 i
„ of bill to rictus . 0 6f
— R .
[117.] 4. H irundo riparia. (Linn.) The Sand Martin.
O e n u s , H irundo, L in n . Sand Swallow. Penn. Arct. Zool., ii., p. 430, No. 332.
Bank Swallow or Sand Martin (H. riparia). Wins., v., p. 46, pi. 38, f. 4.
Hirundo riparia. B onap. Syn., No. 75.
Shee-shee-winse-p&shoo. Cb.e e In d ia n s.
This species, which is considered to be identical with the European Sand Martin,
is an inhabitant of the four quarters of the world. It is remarkable for the extent
of its breeding stations, which embrace the whole continent of North America.
It arrives in Pennsylvania earlier than the other Swallows, or about the third
week of March, begins to breed in April, and has commonly two broods in a
season. Mr. Hutchins states that it breeds later than any other bird which
frequents Severn River, sometimes not laying its eggs until near the end of July;
* We should have thought our species was the same as the Hirundo fulva of the Prince of Musignano, but for the
following observation,—“ The most striking characteristic of the Hirundo fulva (Bon.), is its even tail.” (Am. Om.,
i., p. 64.) Ours is slightly, but distinctly forked.—Sw.