274 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

marvellous flights of these birds when they migrate are among
the many wonderful things of nature. Humboldt states that
he saw a swallow alight on the rigging of his vessel when it
was one hundred and twenty miles from land. How such
tiny creatures can sustain such extended flights it is difficult
to understand.
Swallows in Swallows seem to understand the principle of
Council. co-operation and what the family is unable to
do for itself the community seems always ready to undertake for
it. Captain Brown tells of a pair of swallows who returning to
their last year’s nest found it occupied by a robust English
sparrow. The sparrow declined to give up the nest and the
swallows were not strong enough to eject it, whereupon a
council was called, as a result of which a large army of swallows
proceeded to close up the entrance to the nest with clay,
“leaving the sparrow to perish in the garrison it had so
gallantly defended.” This happened at Strathendry, Bleachfield,
in Fifeshire, on the banks of the Leven, and was witnessed
by Mr. Gavan Inglis. But not only do the swallows co-
operate for the purposes of war; Mr. Inglis was a witness
of another effort of combination. It happened that a pair
of swallows had built a nest in the corner of one of his windows,
in which they had hatched five offspring. The parent birds fell
victims to a sportsman’s gun and Mr. Inglis contemplated an
attempt to rear the family himself. This, however, proved
unnecessary. In a very short time a number of swallows
came and inspected the bereaved dwelling, apparently noting
the condition of the house as well as the brood. A supply
of food was immediately brought, and the next morning the
kindly offices were renewed and thenceforward continued
until the young were able to provide for themselves. Remark-
able as these incidents are they are not singular, for both
have been known to occur more than once.
The House The House Martin is characterized by a white
Martin. gpot above his tail which adds to the prettiness