290 HAMPSHIRE DAYS 



had hundreds of birds in sight at once, all swiftly flying 

 up and down stream; but when the sight was kept 

 fixed on any one bird, it could be seen that he went but 

 a short distance fifty to a hundred yards then turned 

 back. Thus each bird had a very limited range, and 

 probably each returned to his accustomed place or beat 

 every day. 



These swifts are very much in the angler's way. 

 Frequently they get entangled in the line and are 

 brought down, but are seldom injured. During one 

 day's fishing my friend here had three swifts to disen- 

 gage from his line. On releasing one of these birds he 

 watched its movements, and saw it fly up stream a dis- 

 tance of about forty yards, then double back, mechani- 

 cally going on with its fly-hunting up and down stream 

 just as if nothing had happened. 



It may be said of swifts, as Bates said of humming- 

 birds, that, mentally, they are more like bees than 

 birds. The infallible, unchangeable way in which they, 

 machine-like, perform all their actions, and their abso- 

 lute unteachableness, are certainly insect-like. They 

 are indeed so highly specialised and perfected in their 

 own line; and, on account of their marvellous powers 

 of flight, so removed from all friction in that atmos- 

 phere in which they live and move, above the complex 

 and wit-sharpening conditions in which the more ter- 

 restrial creatures of their class exist, as to be practically 

 independent of experience. 



It is known that for some time the mayfly has been 



