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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 labours 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 some- 

 times in very hot weather, but not so frequently as 

 swallows. 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 remembered where they bred for many 

 years in vast abundance in an hot stifled inn-yard, against 

 a wall facing to the south. 



Birds in general are wise in their choice of situation : 

 but in this neighbourhood every summer is seen a strong 

 proof to the contrary at an 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 labouring 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 and Fleet-street ; but then it was obvious from the 

 dinginess of their aspect that their feathers partook of 



