LYII.] OF SELBORNE. 157 



long in ascending and descending with security through so nar- 

 row a pass. When, hovering over the mouth of the funnel, the 

 vibrations of her wings acting on the confined air occasion a 

 rumbling like thunder. It is not improbable that the dam sub- 

 mits to this inconvenient situation so low in the shaft, in order 

 to secure her broods from rapacious birds, and particularly from 

 owls, which frequently fall down chimneys, perhaps in attempting 

 to get at these nestlings. 



The swallow lays from four to six white eggs, dotted with red 

 specks ; and brings out her first brood about the last week in 

 June, or the first week in July. The progressive method by 

 which the young are introduced into life is very amusing : first, 

 they emerge from the shaft with difficulty enough, and often 

 fall down into the rooms below ; for a day or so they are fed on 

 the chimney-top, and then are conducted to the dead leafless 

 bough of some tree, where sitting in a row they are attended 

 with great assiduity, and may then be called perchers. In a day 

 or two more they become flyers, but are still unable to take their 

 own food ; therefore they play about near the place where the dams 

 are hawking for flies ; and when a mouthful is collected, at a 

 certain signal given the dam and the nestling advance, rising 

 towards each other, and meeting at an angle ; the young one 

 all the while uttering such a little quick note of gratitude and 

 complacency, that a person must have paid very little regard to 

 the wonders of nature that has not often remarked this feat. 



The dam betakes herself immediately to the business of a 

 second brood as soon as she is disengaged from her first ; which 

 at once associates with the first broods of house-martins ; and 

 with them congregates, clustering on sunny roofs, towers, and 

 trees. This hirundo brings out her second brood towards the 

 middle and end of August. 



All the summer long the swallow is a most instructive pattern 

 of unwearied industry and affection ; for from morning to night, 

 while there is a family to be supported, she spends the whole 

 day in skimming close to the ground, and exerting the most sud- 

 den turns and quick evolutions. Avenues, and long walks un- 

 der hedges, and pasture-fields, and mown meadows where cattle 

 graze, are her delight, especially if there are trees interspersed ; 



