THE SPARROW KIND. 283 



ing low, we are often apprized of the approach- 

 ing change. 



When summer is fairly begun, and more than 

 a sufficient supply for sustaining the wants of na- 

 ture every-where offers, the swallow then begins 

 to think of forming a progeny. The nest is built 

 with great industry and art, particularly by the 

 common swallow, which builds it on the tops of 

 chimnies. The martin sticks it to the eaves of 

 houses. The goat-sucker, as we are told, builds 

 it on the bare ground. This nest is built with 

 mud from some neighbouring brook, well tem- 

 pered with the bill, moistened with water for the 

 better adhesion, and still farther kept firm by 

 long grass and fibres ; within, it is lined with 

 goose feathers, which are ever the warmest and 

 the neatest. The martin covers its nest at top, 

 and has a door to enter at ; the swallow leaves 

 her's quite open. But our European nests are 

 nothing to be compared with those the swallow 

 builds on the coasts of China and Coromandel ; 

 the description of which I will give in the plain 

 honest phrase of Willoughby. " On the sea- 

 coast of the kingdom of China," says he, " a sort 

 of party-coloured birds, of the shape of swallows, 

 at a certain season of the year, which is their 

 breeding time, come out of the midland country 

 to the rocks, and from the foam or froth of the 

 sea-water dashing against the bottom of the rocks, 

 gather a certain clammy, glutinous matter, per- 

 chance the spawn of whales or other young fishes, 

 of which they build their nests, wherein they lay 

 their eggs and hatch their young. These nests 



