SWIFTS. 



in the air : they also range to vast distances ; since 

 locomotion is no labour to them, who are endowed 

 with such wonderful powers of wing. Their powers 

 seem to be in proportion to their levers ; and their 

 wings are longer in proportion than those of almost 

 any other bird. When they mute, or ease themselves 

 in flight, they raise their wings, and make them meet 

 over their backs. 



At some certain times, in the summer, I had re- 

 marked that swifts were hawking very low, for hours 

 together, over pools and streams ; and could not help 

 inquiring into the object of their pursuit, that induced 

 them to descend so much below their usual range. 

 After some trouble, I found that they were taking 

 phryganete, ephemerte, libellulce, (cadew-flies, may-flies, 

 and dragon-flies,) that were just emerged out of their 

 aurelia state. I then no longer wondered that they 

 should be so willing to stoop for a prey that afforded 

 them such plentiful and succulent nourishment. 



They bring out their young about the middle or 

 latter end of July ; but as these never become perch- 

 ers, nor, that ever I could discern, are fed on the wing 

 by their dams, the coming forth of the young is not 

 so notorious as in the other species. 



On the thirtieth of last June, I untiled the eaves 

 of a house where many pairs build, and found in each 

 nest only two squab, naked pulli ; on the eighth of 

 July I repeated the same inquiry, and found they had 

 made very little progress towards a fledged 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 



