SWALLOWS

The author/illustrator manages to convey how much fascination there can in the close observation of even the most familiar bird. With a few South Sea Island exceptions, the swallow is found all over the world. After a short introduction to the swallow family, its physical characteristics and life patterns, seven varieties are described in a chapter apiece: the barn, cliff, bank, roughwinged tree, violet-green swallows and the purple martin. The clear black and white illustrations of the various birds in typical attitudes or engaged in nestilding/food-finding activities appear on every page. The cross-sections of the types of nests that these bird-architects achieve by building (and in some cases, urrowing) are particularly interesting. This is an easy-to-read text which should prove a welcome addition to nature study lists for early grades.