1 96 SWALLOWS. 



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 flier, 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 the trampling of the horses' feet. When the 

 wind blows hard, without this expedient, they are 

 often forced to settle to pick up their lurking 

 prey. 



This species feeds much on little coleoptera, 

 as well as on gnats and flies, and often settles on 

 dug ground, or paths, for gravels to grind and 

 digest its food. Before they depart, for some 

 weeks, they to a bird forsake houses and chim- 

 neys, and roost in trees, and usually withdraw 

 about the beginning of October, though some 

 few stragglers may appear on at times till the 

 first week in November. 



Some few pairs haunt the new and open streets 

 of London next the fields, but do not enter, like 

 the house-martin, the close and crowded parts of 

 the city. 



Both male and female are distinguished from 

 their congeners by the length and forkedness 

 of their tails. They are undoubtedly the most 

 nimble of all the species ; and when the male 

 pursues the female in amorous chase, they then 



