364 THE SWIFT. 



markably short ; and it flies with its feet hanging down, 

 in readiness to run the moment that they touch the 

 ground. All its practices, indeed, point out that its 

 wings serve the purpose of balancers in the uneven 

 paths along which it runs, rather than as organs of pro- 

 longed motion. Thus it is remarkably well adapted 

 for hunting for its food in the rough channels of brooks, 

 though not for seizing of any thing which is at a con- 

 siderable elevation above the surface. But there are 

 other birds equally well adapted for that purpose ; and 

 perhaps the one of these that evinces the most won- 

 derful power of wings in a little creature, is 



THE SWIFT. 



THE SWIFT, (cypselus murarius,) perhaps, passes 

 over more space than any other living creature, and 

 evinces powers, both of eye and of wing, which are 

 probably greater than those of the eagle. The flights 

 of the eagle are powerful, but they are only occasional, 

 and strong as she is, she seems exhausted ; but the little 

 swift continues on the wing for sixteen hours every 

 day, and moving with velocity, and with evolutions 

 that are equally rapid and graceful. The vision of the 

 swift is also wonderful ; for it has been ascertained, that 

 it can easily discern, at more than a hundred yards 

 distance, an object not half an inch in diameter. Not- 

 withstanding the great powers of the swift in the air, 

 its incessant flight during the summer, and its days' 

 journey to tropical climates in autumn, and back from 

 them in spring it can hardly walk, but crawls along 

 the ground. In passing through holes and crevices it 



