62 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 



fly away. In a few minutes both were back again, 

 and one seemed to be taking mud, whilst the 

 other kept searching for just the right -sized bit 

 of dry grass or straw ; it took up many bits, but 

 they did not seem to satisfy the requirements 

 and were dropped, till just the right-sized piece 

 was forthcoming. So it is clear they must start 

 nesting very early, and pretty certainly will have, 

 as our British bird does, two broods in the season. 

 There is practically little or no difference in the 

 habits of either of these two Swallows — the one 

 might be the other — and though I have watched 

 them long and carefully, I am unable to recall 

 any single peculiarity that our Swallow has from 

 the Egyptian. Both alike have that habit of 

 dipping momentarily into the water, then rising 

 for a short distance, and again fluttering down on 

 to the surface with a slight splash, and both kinds 

 seem to have boundless energy and strength, 

 tearing up and down incessantly by the hour 

 together. So many birds rest in flight by making 

 long sweeping curves with rigidly outstretched 

 wings. Kites and Vultures are great exponents 

 of this power, but the Swallows, though they can 

 do it of course, are nearly all the day careering 

 in headlong flight with restless energy, and the 



