The Natural History of Selborne 247 



swarming at the mouths of these holes, like bees on the 

 stools of their hives. 



The following circumstance should by no means be omitted 

 that these birds do not make use of their caverns by way 

 of hybernacula, as might be expected ; since banks so per- 

 forated have been dug out with care in the winter, when 

 nothing was found but empty nests. 



The sand-martin arrives much about the same time with the 

 swallow, and lays, as she does, from four to six white eggs. 

 But as this species is cryptogame, carrying on the business 

 of nidification, incubation, and the support of its young in 

 the dark, it would not be so easy to ascertain the time of 

 breeding, were it not for the coming forth of the broods, 

 which appear much about the time, or rather somewhat earlier 

 than those of the swallow. The nestlings are supported in 

 common like those of their congeners, with gnats and other 

 small insects ; and sometimes they are fed with libellulce 

 (dragon-flies) almost as long as themselves. In the last 

 week in June we have seen a row of these sitting on a rail 

 near a great pool as perchers, and so young and helpless, as 

 easily to be taken by hand ; but whether the dams ever feed 

 them on the wing, as swallows and house- martins do, we have 

 never yet been able to determine; nor do we know whether 

 they pursue and attack birds of prey. 



When they happen to breed near hedges and enclosures, 

 they are dispossessed of their breeding-holes by the house- 

 sparrow, which is on the same account a fell adversary to 

 house-martins. 



These hirundines are no songsters, but rather mute, making 

 only a little harsh noise when a person approaches their ntsts. 

 They seem not to be of a sociable turn, never with us congre- 

 gating with their congeners in the autumn. Undoubtedly 

 they breed a second time, like the house-martin and swallow, 

 and withdraw about Michaelmas. 



Though in some particular districts they may happen to 

 abound, yet on the whole, in the south of England at least, 

 is this much the rarest species. For there are few towns or 



