262 NATURAL HISTORY 



morning to night, while there is a family to be sup- 

 ported, she spends the whole day in skimming close to 

 the ground, and exerting the most sudden turns and 

 quick evolutions. Avenues, and long walks under 

 hedges, and pasture fields, and mown meadows where 

 cattle graze, are her delight, especially if there are trees 

 interspersed; because in such spots insects most abound. 

 When a fly is taken a smart snap from her bill is heard, 

 resembling the noise at the shutting of a watchcase; 

 but the motion of the mandibles is too quick for the 

 eye. 



The swallow, probably the male bird, is the excubitor 

 to house martins, and other little birds, announcing the 

 approach of birds of prey. For as soon as a hawk 

 appears, with a shrill alarming note he calls all the 

 swallows and martins about him; who pursue in a 

 body, and buffet and strike their enemy till they have 

 driven him from the village, darting down from above 

 on his back, and rising in a perpendicular line in perfect 

 security. This bird also will sound the alarm, and 

 strike at cats when they climb on the roofs of houses, 

 or otherwise approach the nests. Each species of Hi- 

 rundo drinks as it flies along, sipping the surface of 

 the water; but the swallow alone, in general, washes 

 on the wing, by dropping into a pool for many times 

 together: in very hot weather house martins and bank 

 martins dip and wash a little. 



The swallow is a delicate songster, and in soft sunny 

 weather sings both perching and flying; on trees in a 

 kind of concert, and on chimney tops : is also a bold 

 flyer, ranging to distant downs and commons even in 

 windy weather, which the other species seem much to 

 dislike ; nay, even frequenting exposed seaport towns, 

 and making little excursions over the salt water. 

 Horsemen on wide downs are often closely attended 

 by a little party of swallows for miles together, which 

 plays before and behind them, sweeping around, and 

 collecting all the skulking insects that are roused by 



