to be a distinction between
the swallows who dwelt in these spacious quarters and those who lived
in humbler lodgings behind. You might imagine that the dwellers in
front had become rich through trade, for they suffered no more from
the perpetual booming of the great house-clock above their heads, or
from the ever-moving pendulum which pulsated like a living thing in
their midst, than a manufacturer from the constant sound of his busy
steam-engines and rattling machinery. This swallow domain soon became
known as Castle Clock-Tower, and the chief inmates as the Herr and
Frau von Schwalbe and family, whilst, oddly enough, if it was our
daily pleasure to watch them, they showed an equal curiosity and
interest in us.

I do not know whether they considered that the fly-papers in our
sitting-room might be thwarting the designs of Providence on their
behalf, but we had hardly begun using them for the destruction of the
flies, when Herr von Schwalbe flew down from his castle through the
open window, apparently sent as a deputy to remonstrate with us on
this reckless waste of their legitimate game. He fluttered about,
glancing at the dead bodies strewn on the floor; then, taking his post
on the top of a picture hanging on the wall, remained several hours,
drawing his own deductions, but always too timid to raise a complaint.
In vain we tried to encourage him, to induce him to leave his lofty
position: the lonely visitant remained timidly stationary, so that
night came on before he ventured his flight.

Although Herr von Schwalbe might not approve of our unscrupulous
destruction of flies, he must have reported us a well-meaning family,
seeing that his wife ever afterward treated us with the greatest
confidence. She was an elegant lady, with the most approved Grecian
bend. She gave a kettle-drum once to her friends and relations at the
unseasonable hour of four o'clock in the morning, but in all other
cases observed her character of a wise, prudent little matron. Day
by day she conducted her happy family to a horizontal pole suitably
fastened to the upper gallery, where she cultivated their intellects,
and, assisted by her devoted husband, gave them flying and singing
lessons, each vocal attempt being rewarded by a liberal supply of
flies.

We likewise became interested in a couple of redstarts, who, waxing
bold, would tap at the casement, bidding us come and admire their
young in the nest under the portico. This was during o