OF SELBORNE. 217 
state, but were still naked and helpless. From 
whence we may conclude, that birds whose way of 
life keeps them perpetually on the wing, would not 
be able to quit their nest till the end of the month. 
Swallows and martins, that have numerous families, 
are continually feeding them every two or three 
minutes ; while swifts, that have but two young to 
maintain, are much at their leisure, and do not at- 
tend on their nests for hours together. 
Sometimes they pursue and strike at hawks that 
come in their way, but not with that vehemence 
and fury that swallows express on the same occa- 
sion. ‘They are out all day long on wet days, 
feeding about, and still disregarding rain, from 
whence two things may be gathered: first, that 
many insects abide high in the air, even in rain ; 
and, next, that the feathers of these birds must be 
well preened to resist so much wet. Windy, and 
particularly windy weather with heavy showers, 
they dislike, and on such days withdraw and are 
scarce ever seen. 
There is a circumstance respecting the. colour 
of swifts which seems not to be unworthy our 
attention. When they arrive in the spring they 
are all over of a glossy, dark soot colour except 
their chins, which are white; but, by being all 
day long in the sun and air, they become quite 
weather-beatea and bleached before they depart, 
and yet they return glossy again in the spring. 
Now, if they pursue the sun into lower latitudes, 
as some suppose, in order to enjoy a perpetual 
summer, why do they not return bleached? Do, 
they not rather, perhaps, retire to rest for a season, 
and at that juncture moult and change their feath- 
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