NEST IN A CHIMNEY. 15 



purpose of ventilation, a pair of these birds built 

 their nest upon two wooden pegs fastened to the 

 wall of the laundry. Sometimes they select the 

 shafts of coal mines for their labours. They have 

 been seen at the depth of two, three, and nearly 

 four fathoms. Of the banksmen and colliers they 

 appear to be perfectly regardless ; even the hatches, 

 which are often drawn up and down, do not annoy 

 them. They have been seen by the men going to 

 or returning from their work, performing the 

 duties of incubation at times when the shaft has 

 been full of smoke, altogether indifferent to the 

 circumstance. A few years ago a man lost his 

 hand in the act of robbing a nest of the young in 

 a coal pit, the hatch, or lifting apparatus, upon 

 which he was standing, having been suddenly 

 drawn up at the time. This nest was stated to 

 be at the astonishing depth of fifteen fathoms I 



Mr. Jesse mentions the following interesting 

 anecdote of the same bird. " Having occasion 

 myself to call some years ago on the Rev. Egerton 

 Bagot, of Pipe Hayes, in Warwickshire, I was 

 surprised at seeing a swallow's nest built on the 

 knocker of his hall-door, and the parent bird in 

 the act of incubation. "When the door was opened 



