204 NATURAL HISTORY 
they climb on the roofs of houses, or otherwise 
approach the nests. Each species of hirundo drinks 
as it flies along, sipping the surface of the water; 
but the swallow alone, in general, washes on the 
wing, by dropping into a pool for many times togeth- 
er: in very hot weather house-martins and bank- 
martins dip and wash a little. 
The swallow is a delicate songster, and in soft 
sunny weather sings both perching and flying, on 
trees in a kind of concert, and on chimney tops ; 
is also a bold flicr, ranging to distant downs inte 
commons even in windy weather, which the other 
species seem most to dislike ; nay, even frequent- 
ing exposed seaport towns, and making little excur- 
sions over the salt water. Horsemen on wide 
downs are often closely attended by a little party 
of swallows for miles together, which plays before 
and behind them, sweeping around, and collecting 
all the skulking insects that are roused by the 
trampling of the horses’ feet. When the wind 
blows hard, without this expedient, they are often 
forced to settle to pick up their lurking prey. 
This species feeds much on little coleoptera, as 
well as on gnats and flies, and often settles on dug 
ground or paths for gravels to grind and digest its 
food. Before they depart, for some weeks, they ta 
a bird forsake houses and chimneys, and roost in 
trees, and usually withdraw about the beginning of 
October, though some few stragglers may appear 
on at times till the first week in November. 
Some few pairs haunt the new and open streets 
of London next the fields, but do not enter, like the 
house-martin, the close and crowded parts of the 
city. 
