290 XATURAf. HISTORY 



attended by a little party of swallows for 

 miles together, which plays before and 

 behind them, sweeping around, and collect- 

 ing all the sculking^ insects that are roused 

 by the trampling oj" the horses feet : when 

 the wind blows hard, without this expe- 

 dient, they are often forced to settle to 

 pick up their lurking prey. 



This species feeds much on little cole- 

 optertty as well as on gnats and flies ; and 

 often settles on dug ground, or paths, for 

 gravels to grind and digest its food. Be- 

 fore they depart, for some weeks, to a bird, 

 they forsake houses and chimnies, 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 un- 



