There is a Scandinavian tradition that the swallow hovered over the
cross of our Lord crying “Svala! Svala!” (Console, console). Hence comes
its name, “svalow”—the bird of consolation.
The habitat of the swallow is the whole of North America and parts of
South America. The chief characteristic is usually a deeply forked tail.
The swallows of this country are called Bank, Barn, Bridge, Chimney,
Cliff, Tree, Land, Purple, Violet, Black, White, Crescent, Green, Blue,
Republican, White-billed and White-fronted. There are some twenty common
kinds, beside the Swift, which is called a swallow because of certain
resemblances. But its structure is different. It has its name from the
rapidity of its flight. It is almost always on the wing. Its feet are so
seldom used that they are very weak. The chimney swallow has a bristly
tail, which assists in its support when the bird alights. Its color is a
sooty gray. Of the true swallows none is more familiar than the barn
swallow, whose nest adds a picturesque interest to the eaves of the
building. This swallow has a steel blue coat, a pale chestnut vest, with
a bit of chocolate on chin and throat. The tail is deeply forked. It is
not a noisy bird, but has a song—a little trill—aside from the note it
uses when flying. Like a merry laugh, it says “Tittle-ittle-ittle-ee.”
The barn swallow is sympathetic with its mates when they are in trouble
and is friendly to man, who sometimes feels like questioning it—
“Is it far to heaven, O Swallow, Swallow!
The heavy-hearted sings;
I watch thy flight—and I long to follow.
The while I wait for wings.”
The flight of the swallow is in the curved line, which is that of
beauty, and is without effort or restraint.
The cliff swallow, petrochelidon lunifrons—gets part of its
name—lunifrons (moon front)—from its white, crescent-like frontlet. It
builds a bottle or gourd-shaped nest under the protection of shelving
cliffs. A whole colony will sometimes build under the eaves of
out-buildings, when the shape of the nest is modified. This bird may be
distinguished from the barn swallow by its less forked tail and its
blackish color. It is a very useful bird, as it seems tireless in its
destruction of injurious insects.
The tree or white-billed swallow wears a bluish-green coat, with white
vest. It will sometimes rob the woodpecker of holes in trees in which to
build.
The bank swallow or sand martin is the cosmopolitan of birds, as it
thrives equally well in Asia, Africa, Europe and America.
Of all the swallows none is a greater favorite than the purple martin.
It was doubtless the bird to which Shakespeare alludes when he says,
“Where the temple haunting martlet breeds the air is delicate.” The
purple martin, in iridescent coat, with soft, musical cry of
“Peuo-peuo-peuo,” is a well protected guest, provided with pretty boxes
for homes on tall poles or nailed to the sides of trees. It is a
courageous bird, defending its home and young against any ruthless
invader.
There is an old true saying that “one swallow does not make a summer.”
Yet its advent is looked for as the harbinger of warm weather.
“Birds teach us as they come and go
When to sail and when to sow.
Cuckoo calling from the hill,
Swallow skimming by the mill.
Mark the seasons, map the year,
As they show and disappear.”
Belle Paxson Drury.
THE WORM-EATING WARBLER.
(_Helmitherus vermivorus._)
The Worm-eating Warbler is much more retiring and less often noticed
than most of the species of warblers. Unlike many of the species its
range does not reach to the northern coniferous forests. Passing the
winter in the countries bordering the Gulf of Mexico, it migrates in the
spring throughout the Eastern United States, breeding as far north as
Illinois and Connecticut. Its dull color and retiring and shy
disposition eminently fit it for its chosen hunting grounds—the deep and
thick woods, bordering ravines, where there is an abundant undergrowth
of shrubs. Though preferring such localities, it is occasionally seen in
rather open places.
Its companion in the woods is the golden-crowned thrush, for which it
might easily be mistaken were it not for the absence of streaks on its
breast. Its song closely resembles that of the chipping sparrow and may
even mislead the trained field ornithologist. As it deliberately hunts
for insects among the dry leaves on the ground or on the lower branches
of shrubs, its slow motions are more like those of the vireo than of a
warbler.
While walking through woods frequented by this rare little warbler the
experiences of Mr. Leander Keyser is that of all who have had the
pleasure of meeting it among the trees. He says: “Suddenly there was a
twinkle of wings, a flash of olive-green, a sharp chirp, and then before
me, a few rods away, a little bird went hopping about on the ground,
picking up dainties from the brown leaves. It was a rare Worm-eating
Warbler. The little charmer was quite wary, chirping nervously while I
ogled him—for it was a male—and then hopped up into a sapling and
finally scurried away out of sight.”
It builds its nest on the ground among the dead leaves and under the
protecting shade of large leaved herbage or low shrubs. The nest is
rather large for the size of the bird. Grasses, small roots, the fibrous
shreds of bark and a few dried leaves are used in its construction.
Regarding the habits of this warbler Dr. Coues writes as follows: “It is
a sedate, rather a demure, little bird, without the vivacity of most
warblers. When startled from the dead leaves on the ground, where it
spends most of its time rambling, like the golden-crowned thrush, it
flies to a low limb and then often sits motionless or hops listlessly
about.”