OF SELBORNE. 173 



each brood from four to six. It is a most alert bird, rising 

 very early, and retiring to roost very late ; and is on the wing 

 in the height of summer at least sixteen hours. In the longest 

 days it does not withdraw to rest till a quarter before nine in 

 the evening, being the latest of all day birds. Just before 

 they retire whole groups of them assemble high in the air, 

 and squeak, and shoot about with wonderful rapidity. But 

 this bird is never so much alive as in sultry thundry weather, 

 when it expresses great alacrity, and calls forth all it's powers. 

 In hot mornings several, getting together in little parties, 

 dash round the steeples and churches, squeaking as they go 

 in a very clamorous manner: these, by nice observers, are 

 supposed to be males, serenading their sitting hens ; and not 

 without reason, since they seldom squeak till they come close 

 to the walls or eaves, and since those within utter at the same 

 time a little inward note of complacency. 



When the hen has sat hard all day, she rushes forth just as 

 it is almost dark, and stretches and relieves her weary limbs, 

 and snatches a scanty meal for a few minutes, and then returns 

 to her duty of incubation. Swifts, when wantonly and cruelly 

 shot while they have young, discover a little lump of insects 

 in their mouths, which they pouch and hold under their 

 tongue. In general they feed in a much higher district than 

 the other species ; a proof that gnats and other insects do 

 also abound to a considerable height in the air: they also 

 range to vast distances ; since loco-motion 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 remarked 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 phryganece, ephemera.', and libellulcv (cadew-flies, 



