Note 30 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 2)

The Chimney Swallows are the second species, and they derive their name from building their nests in chimneys, which are not made use of in summer: sometimes when the fire is not very great, they do not mind the smoke, and remain in the chimney. I did not see them this year till late in May, but in the ensuing year, 1750, they arrived on the 3d of May, for they appear much later than the other Swallows. It is remarkable that each feather in their tail ends in a stiff sharp point, like the end of an awl; they apply the tail to the side of the wall in the chimneys, hold themselves with their feet, and the stiff tail serves to keep them up: they make a great thundering noise all the day long, by flying up and down in the chimneys; and as they build their nests in chimneys only; and it is well known that the Indians have not so much as a hearth made of masonry, much less a chimney, but make their fires on the ground in their huts, it is an obvious question, Where did these Swallows build their nests before the Europeans came, and made houses with chimneys? It is probable that they formerly made them in great hollow trees; This opinion was adopted by Mr. Bartram, and many others here, Catesby has described the Chimney Swallow and figured it30, and Dr. Linnæus calls it Hirundo Pelasgia.