132 WHITE 



steeples, and on the roofs of churches and houses. These 

 congregatings usually begin to take place about the first week 

 in August ; and therefore we may conclude that by that time 

 the first flight is pretty well over. The young of this species 

 do not quit their abodes altogether ; but the more forward birds 

 get abroad some days before the rest. These approaching 

 the eaves of buildings, and playing about before them, make 

 people think that several old ones attend one nest. They are 

 often capricious in fixing on a nesting-place, beginning many 

 edifices, and leaving them unfinished ; but when once a nest 

 is completed in a sheltered place, it serves for several seasons. 

 Those which breed in a ready finished house get the start in 

 hatching of those that build new by ten days or a fortnight. 

 These industrious artificers are at their labors in the long days 

 before four in the morning. When they fix their materials 

 they plaster them on with their chins, moving their heads with 

 a quick vibratory motion. They dip and wash as they fly 

 sometimes in very hot weather ; but not so frequently as swal- 

 lows. It has been observed that martins usually build to a 

 north-east or north-west aspect, that the heat of the sun may 

 not crack and destroy their nests ; but instances are also remem- 

 bered where they bred for many years in vast abundance in a 

 hot stifled inn-yard against a wall facing to the south. 



Birds in general are wise in their choice of situation ; but in 

 this neighborhood every summer is seen a strong proof to the 

 contrary at a house without eaves in an exposed district, where 

 some martins build year by year in the corners of the windows. 

 But, as the corners of these windows (which face to the south- 

 east and south-west) are too shallow, the nests are washed down 

 every hard rain ; and yet these birds drudge on to no purpose 

 from summer to summer, without changing their aspect or 

 house. It is a piteous sight to see them laboring when half 

 their nest is washed away and bringing dirt . . . "generis lapsi 

 sarcire ruinas" Thus is instinct a most wonderful unequal 

 faculty ; in some instances so much above reason, in other 

 respects so far below it ! Martins love to frequent towns, 

 especially if there are great lakes and rivers at hand ; nay, 

 they even affect the close air of London. And I have not 

 only seen them nesting in the Borough, but even in the Strand 



