HOUSE-MAETIN. 335 



within arms' reach, the combatants being far too excited 

 to heed my presence. Parts of the nest were pulled down, 

 and feathers from the lining flew out as well, and thus 

 the fight went on for at least twenty minutes. At 

 length, after a prolonged struggle and chasing flight, 

 one pair returned alone, and the others were evidently 

 beaten. The owners now began to repair damages, though 

 neither quitted the nest, but sat preening their feathers 

 on the edge, twittering all the while in an excited 

 manner and evidently unwilling to leave for fear the 

 intruders should return. I can only imagine, as the 

 cause of this strange quarrel, that one pair commenced 

 the building and deserted it for some reason, returning 

 only when a fresh pair had appropriated the site and 

 finished the nest. 



As invariable as the circlings of the rooks over 

 the elms, or the twistings and turnings of the starlings 

 over the reed-beds, before retiring to roost, is the 

 evening flight of the swallow the martin, and the 

 swift. The sitting bird leaves her nest for awhile 

 to stretch her weary limbs and join with her mate 

 the twittering throng. Now, mingling in full chorus, 

 they swarm over our heads ; now, separating in all 

 directions, they skim over the trees and housetops, 

 rising and falling under the eaves of our dwellings ; 

 and, again collecting, repeat their varied movements, 

 till, almost imperceptibly, when the sun has set and 

 the deepening shadows are stealing over the scene, they 

 drop off by degrees to their respective homes, and the 

 stillness of the summer night succeeds in strange con- 

 trast to their busy actions. The house-martins have 

 at least two broods in the year, some of the first 

 hatch being known to roost with their parents and the 

 second family in the same nest; whilst old and young 

 consort together in their flights over the meadows, 

 fields, and rivers, till the time comes to return south- 



