SWALLOWS FED BY HAND. 103 



however, a very difficult task to supply them with 

 a sufficient number. I could only do so by sweep- 

 ing the heads of umbelliferous plants with my fly- 

 net. All the swallow tribe continue in their nests 

 a very long time before they take their first flight ; 

 but I was anxious that my protegees should exer- 

 cise their wings as soon as possible, and thus pre- 

 pare themselves for emigration. I, therefore, 

 threw them into the air as soon as I could do so 

 prudently. At first they appeared much alarmed, 

 and clung to the nearest object they could fasten 

 upon ; but in a few days they not only flew about, 

 but caught their food expertly. Some time, how- 

 ever, elapsed before they could satisfy the cravings 

 of appetite through their own exertions. This oc- 

 casioned them frequently to appeal to me for assis- 

 tance in a manner too intelligible to be mistaken. 

 They would utter a plaintive cry in flying around 

 me, and sometimes settle upon me. On these oc- 

 casions, I usually led to those places, where the 

 inula dysenterica (asters) abounded, from the flow- 

 ers of which I easily captured various species of 

 syrphi in the hollow of my hand* It was truly 

 amusing to observe the eagerness with which the 

 movement of my hand was watched, and with 

 what voracity the produce of my efforts were de- 

 voured. As soon as my birds could fly, an open 

 basket, having a perch across it, was set apart for 

 their use : here they rested by day and roosted at 



