SWALLOWS BLACK CAP. 77 



How different is the case with my favourite 

 Swallow. No angry or jealous passion disturbs 

 it, nor is there the least appearance of emulation 

 in its song ; on the contrary, it " twitters sweetly 5 ' 

 from feelings of happiness and complacency, 

 which cannot be mistaken, now and then darting 

 to the nest, and uttering that little note of love, 

 which I am so fond of hearing, and which is re- 

 sponded to by the female, while she is performing 

 her allotted task of incubation. Gentle bird ! it 

 is a thousand pities, that you are often so wan- 

 tonly destroyed, and that you are not permitted to 

 rear your young in those sunny spots, which you 

 have selected for the purpose. Gladly would I 

 afford you the shelter of my projecting roof, where 

 your clay-built nest should be protected from 

 harm, and you might please me with your airy 

 evolutions, and your pretty songs ; 



I delight to see 



How suddenly he skims the glassy pool, 

 How quaintly dips, and with an arrow's speed 

 Whisks by. I love to be awake, and hear 

 His morning song twitter'd to dawning day.* 



But amongst our charming song-birds, I must 

 not omit the Black-cap, which is, I think, quite 

 on an equality with the nightingale. Its song 

 does not appear to be emulous, but, as Mr. White 

 observes, it pours forth very sweet, but inward 



* HURDIS. 



