404 SWIFT. Cla.sII. 



cies Hirundo muraria. It breeds under the eaves of 

 houfes, infleeples, and other lofty buildings-, makes 

 its neft of graffes and feathers ; and lays only two 

 Descrip. eggs, of a white color. It is entirely of a glofly 

 dark footy color, only the chin is marked with a 

 white fpot: but by being fo conftantly expofed 

 to all weathers, the glofs of the plumage is loft 

 before it retires. I cannot trace them to their win- 

 ter quarters, unlefs in one inftance of a pair found 

 adhering by their claws and in a torpid ftate, in 

 February 1766, under the roof of Longnor Chapel, 

 Shropjhire: on being brought to a fire, they re- 

 vived and moved about the room. The feet are 

 of a particular ftrudture, all the toes ftanding for- 

 ward ; the left confifts of only one bone ; the o- 

 thers of an equal number, viz. two each ; in 

 which they differ from thofe of all other birds. 



This appears in our country about fourteen days 

 later than the fand martin ; but differs greatly in 

 the time of its departure, retiring invariably about 

 the tenth oi Auguft, being the firft of the genus 

 that leaves us. 



The fabulous hiftory of the Manucodiata, or bird 

 of Paradife, is in the hiftory of this fpecies in great 

 meafure verified. It was believed to have no ket, 

 to live upon the celeftial dew, to float perpetually 

 on the Indian, and to perform all its fundlions 

 in that element. 



The Swift adtually performs what has been in 

 thefe enlightened times difproved of the former 5 



except 



