SWIFTS. 203 



not be so narrowly watched as those species that 

 build more openly ; but, from what I could ever ob- 

 serve, they begin nesting about the middle of May ; 

 and I have remarked, from eggs taken, that they 

 have sat hard by the 9th of June. In general, they 

 haunt tall buildings, churches, and steeples, and 

 breed only in such ; yet, in this village, some pairs 

 frequent the lowest and meanest cottages, and educate 

 their young under those thatched roofs. We re- 

 member but one instance where they breed out of 

 buildings, and that is in the sides of a deep chalk pit 

 near the town of Odiham, in this county, where we 

 have seen many pairs entering the crevices, and 

 skimming and squeaking round the precipices. 



As I have regarded these amusive birds with no 

 small attention, if I should advance something new 

 and peculiar with respect to them, and different from 

 all other birds, I might perhaps be credited, especi- 

 ally as my assertion is the result of many years' exact 

 observation. The fact that I would advance is, that 

 swifts tread, or copulate, on the wing ; and I would 

 wish any nice observer, that is startled at this sup- 

 position, to use his own eyes, and I think he will 

 soon be convinced. In another class of animals, viz. 

 the insect, nothing is so common as to see the dif- 

 ferent species of many genera in conjunction as they 

 fly. The swift is almost continually on the wing ; 

 and, as it never settles on the ground, on trees, or 

 roofs, would seldom find opportunity for amorous 

 rites, were it not enabled to indulge them in the air. 

 If any person would watch these birds of a fine 

 morning in May, as they are sailing round, at a great 

 height from the ground, he would see, every now and 

 then, one drop on the back of another, and both of 

 them sink down together for many fathoms with a 

 loud piercing shriek. This I take to be the juncture 

 when the business of generation is carrying on. 



