78 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



such wonderful powers of wing. Their powers seem to be 

 in proportion to their leavers ; and their wings are longer 

 in proportion than those of almost any other bird. When 

 they mute, or ease themselves in flight, they raise their 

 wings, and make them meet over their backs. 



At some certain times in the summer I had remarked 

 that swifts were hawking very low for hours together over 

 pools and streams ; and could not help inquiring into 

 the object of their pursuit that induced them to descend 

 so much below their usual range. After some trouble I 

 found that they were taking phryganece, ephemera, and 

 libellulce (cadew-flies, may-flies, and dragon-flies), that were 

 just emerged out of their aurelia state. I then no longer 

 wondered that they should be so willing to stoop for 

 a prey that afforded them such plentiful and succulent 

 nourishment. 



They bring out their young about the middle or latter 

 end of July : but as these never become perchers, nor, 

 that ever I could discern, are fed on the wing by their 

 dams, the coming forth of the young is not so notorious 

 as in the other species. 



On the thirtieth of last June I untiled the eaves of a 

 house where many pairs build, and found in each nest 

 only two squab, naked pulli : on the eighth of July I re- 

 peated the same inquiry, and found that they had made 

 very little progress towards a fledged state, but were still 

 naked and helpless. From whence we may conclude that 

 birds whose way of life keeps them perpetually on the 

 wing would not be able to quit their nest till the end of 

 the month. Swallows and martins, that have numerous 

 families, are continually feeding them every two or three 

 minutes ; while swifts, that have but two young to main- 

 tain, are much at their leisure, and do not attend on their 

 nests for hours together. 



Sometimes they pursue and strike at hawks that come 

 in their way ; but not with that vehemence and fury that 

 swallows express on the same occasion. They are out 

 all day long in wet days, feeding about, and disregarding 



