324 THE SWALLOW. 



The swallow knows her time, 

 And on the vernal breezes, wings her way 

 O'er mountain, plain, and far extending seas. 

 Before the Cuckoo's note she, twittering gay, 

 Skims 'long the brook, or o'er the brushwood tops. 



J. GRAHAME. 



AFTER many years' observation of the disappear- 

 ance of Swallows in the Autumn, I have never yet 

 noticed so many of them remaining with us so 

 late as they have done this year (1842). The 

 following are extracts from my journal : 



November 16. Saw many swallows briskly 

 hawking for flies over the play-fields at Eton. 

 Thermometer, 45. 



November 20. Saw several swallows flying 

 about the round tower of Windsor Castle at half- 

 past three o'clock in the evening. The Thermo- 

 meter at eight o'clock in the morning was 45. 

 There had been much cold rain the previous day. 



December 2. Again saw several swallows, 

 hawking busily about the round tower. Therm. 

 48 ; wind, S.S.W. Some of the men at work on 

 the top of the Victoria tower, inform me that many 

 swallows have been flying about it for some days 

 past. 



