362 NATURAL HISTORY 



the shrubs and cavities of the suspected spot. The 

 persons took pains, but without any success ; however, 

 a remarkable incident occurred in the midst of our pur- 

 suit while the labourers were at work, a house martin, 

 the first that had been seen this year, came down the 

 village in the sight of several people, and went at once 

 into a nest, where it stayed a short time, and then flew 

 over the houses ; for some days after, no martins were 

 observed, not till the 16th of April, and then only a 

 pair. Martins in general were remarkably late this 

 year. 



LETTER LII. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, Sept. 9, 1781. 



I HAVE just met with a circumstance respecting swifts, 

 which furnishes an exception to the whole tenor of my 

 observations ever since I have bestowed any attention 

 on that species of Hirundines. Our swifts, in general, 

 withdrew this year about the first day of August, all 

 save one pair, which in two or three days was reduced 

 to a single bird. The perseverance of this individual 

 made me suspect that the strongest of motives, that of 

 an attachment to her young, could alone occasion so 

 late a stay. I watched therefore till the 24th of August, 

 and then discovered that, under the eaves of the church, 

 she attended upon two young, which were fledged, and 

 now put out their white chins from a crevice. These 

 remained till the 27th, looking more alert every day, 

 and seeming to long to be on the wing. After this day 

 they were missing at once; nor could I ever observe 

 them with their dam coursing round the church in the 

 act of learning to fly, as the first broods evidently do. 

 On the 31st I caused the eaves to be searched, but we 

 found in the nest only two callow, dead, stinking swifts, 



