RAPIDITY OF FLIGHT. 75 



insects which the horse puts up in its course over the grass, 

 sometimes leisurely keeping at an equal pace, then shooting 

 ahead, and not unfrequently actually flying round the rider 

 in wide circles, with an ease and facility betraying neither 

 effort nor labour in so doing. 



The flight of the common Swallow has been computed at 

 90 miles, that of the Swift has been conjectured to be nearly 

 180 miles per hour. We can scarcely, indeed, calculate or 

 limit the speed which can be produced by the effort of a 

 wing's vibrations. That a small insect can with ease accom- 

 plish forty or fifty miles an hour, and probably much more, 

 we know to be a fact, from our own experience on the Liver- 

 pool and Manchester Kailroad ; for, when rolling along, at 

 the rate of about thirty miles an hour, we saw bees and flies, 

 sometimes hovering round the carriages, sometimes settling, 

 then, when disturbed, flying to the right or left, in an 

 irregular course, but still keeping up, without the slightest 

 appearance of extra exertion ; and often when tired of con- 

 tinuing with the train, shooting forward, and in an instant 

 leaving us far behind, and this, too, in opposition to a fresh 

 breeze heading them. 



Another mode of ascertaining the flight of birds has been 

 by Carrier Pigeons. These are a particular breed, which 

 can be so trained, that when carried to great distances from 

 the place of their usual abode, and turned out, they will find 

 their way back. A short time ago, fifty-six of these birds 

 were brought over from a part of Holland where they are 

 much attended to, and turned out from London about half- 

 past four in the morning : they all reached their dove-cotes 

 at home by noon ; but one favourite Pigeon, called Napoleon, 

 arrived about a quarter after ten o'clock, having performed 

 the distance of 300 miles at the rate of above fifty miles an 

 hour, supposing he lost not a moment, and proceeded in a 

 straight line ; but as they usually wheel about in the air for 

 some time before they start off, and then probably deviate 

 more or less from the direct course, this first bird must have 

 flown, most likely, at a much quicker rate ; of which we have 

 an instance which occurred at the fair of Ballinasloe in 



