OF SELBORNE. 107 



that the last flight was numerous, amount- 

 ing perhaps to one hundred and fifty; 

 and that the season was soft and still ; I 

 was resolved to pay uncommon attention 

 to these late birds ; to find, if possible, 

 where they roosted, and to determine the 

 precise time of their retreat. The mode 

 of life of these latter hirundines is very 

 favourable to such a design : for they spend 

 the whole day in the sheltered district, be- 

 tween me and the Hanger, sailing about in 

 a placid, easy manner, and feasting on those 

 insects which love to haunt a spot so secure 

 from ruffling winds. As my principal ob- 

 ject was to discover the place of their 

 roosting, I took care to wait on them before 

 they retired to rest, and was much pleased 

 to find that, for several evenings together, 

 just at a quarter past five in the afternoon, 

 they all scudded away in great haste to- 

 wards the south-east, and darted down 

 among the low shrubs above the cottages 

 at the end of the hill. This spot in many 

 respects seems to be well calculated for 

 their winter residence: for in many parts 



