II. THE SWALLOW. 49 



swallow, not merely as winding and turning 

 sv,-i^tly in her chariot, but as being a water- 

 n^-mph hy birth, — " Stagnis quae, flumini- 

 JDUsque sonoris, praesidet." How many 

 different creatures in one the swallow is by 

 birth, as a Virgilian simile is many thoughts 

 in one, it would take many more lectures 

 than one to show you clearly; but I will 

 indicate them with such rough sketch as is 

 possible. 



45. It belongs, as most of you know, to a 

 family of birds called Fissi-rostres, or, literally, 

 spHt-beaks. Split heads would be a better 

 term, for it is the enormous width of mouth 

 and power of gaping which the epithet is 

 meant to express. A dull sermon, for in- 

 stance, makes half the congregation " fissi- 

 rostres." The bird, however, is most vigilant 

 when its mouth is widest, for it opens as a 

 net to catch whatever comes in its way, — 

 hence the French, giving the whole family 

 the more literal name, " Gobble - fly " — 

 Gobe-mouche, extend the term to the open- 

 mouthed and too acceptant appearance of a 

 simpleton. 



46. Partly in order to provide for this width 



