NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 139 



day long in ascending and descending with security through 

 so narrow 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 submits 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 is the swallow 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 executing the 

 most sudden turns and quick evolutions. Avenues, and long 

 walks under hedges, and pasture-fields, and mown meadows 

 where cattle graze, are her delight, especially if there are trees 



