The Nesting of the Welcome Swallow (Hirundo Neoxena)

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The S.A. Ornithologist, January 1, 1938. 123 The Nesting of the Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena). Written by Valerie Wocdroffe, of " Valwood," Delamere, Fleurieu Peninsula, S.A. (aged 9~ years), 13th November, 1937. Mr. Symon asked me to write you a few lines to tell you about some little Swallows that built their nest in our verandah. They started building their little nest on the 29th of August. They chose a spot on a narrow ledge about six inches from the iron roof. They brought wet mud and dry grass to build it, and patted it into shape with their tiny beaks. This went on for about a fortnight, and on the 12th of September I noticed .they had started to line it. How busy the little birds were for the next two weeks, flying in with tiny feathers to make it soft and cosy for their little babies, and how very thrilled I was to find their first egg on the 27th of September. The next day another little cream-coloured egg, with brown spots on it, was laid. The following day the third. egg was laid, and on the 30th the last egg was there. The mother bird then sat on the eggs, and a fortnight later imagine my joy when on the 16th of October I saw a little baby swallow. The next day two more little swallows were born. On the 18th the last little one was hatched but died (on the 19th and removed by the birds some time during the next day). How happy the mother and father bird were feeding them every day. Soon their ,little feathers began to grow, and it wasn't long before they were out of their nest flying around the verandah. It was on the 3rd of November they left their nest, and it was on the fifth that they ventured outside for the first time. They still fly away all day, but come home to sleep at night. They are bluish-black, with touches of grey and brown, and live on moths, flies, and other insects..

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116 MOl?llA.N-Thc Migrat'ion 'of Swallows in S.A.. The Migration of Swallows in South Australia. By A. ,M. MORGAN, M.B., Ch.B. Four swallows inhabit South Australia. They are the Welcome-Swallow (Hirundo neoaJena), the Tree Swallow (Hylo c7wlidon nigricans caleyi), the Fairy Martin '01' Bottle Swallow (Lagenoplastes ariel), and the White-breasted Swallow (Ohera· mreca lC1tcosternon stonei). None is rconflned to South Aus tralia; 'the first theeebave been recorded from every part of the Australian Commonwealth, the fourth from every State except Tasmania, which it does not visit. Authorities differ considerably in their opinions as to the migratory habits of these birds on the Australian Continent. As regards 'I'asmania, all 'are agreed that they are purely migratory, leaving in: the winter, and returning next summer to nest. The flairy mrurtin is' probably only an occasional visitor, since Littler (Birds of Tas~ania) has not seen it. Gould (Handbook of the Birds 'of Australia) says of the welcome swallows-v'Dbe arrival of this bird in the southern portions of Australia is hailed as a welcome indication of the approach of .spring, and .is associated with precisely the same ideas as those popularly entertained respecting our own pretty swallow 'in Europe. The two species are, in fact, beautiful representatives of each other, and, assimilate ... in their migratory movements." Quoting Caley, he says further, "the earliest perjod of the year that I noticed the 'appearance of swallows. was July 12th, 1803, when 1 saw two . The latest period I 'observed them was 30th Ma~, 1806, when It number of them were flying high in the air." Gould also says, " ,u.
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