216 THE MARTIN. 



The most probable conjecture on this story is, that the answer waa 

 written by some one who had caught the bird in Switzerland ; for 

 both Belon and Aristotle assure us, that though the Swallows live 

 half the year in Greece, yet they always pass the winter in Africa. 



The Rev. Revett Shepperd, F. L. S., a few years ago communicated 

 to me the following acount of a Swallow which was domesticated by 

 Miss Boldero of Ixworth, near Bury St. Edmunds: "On the 19th of 

 July, 1806, three young Swallows fell down the chimney of this lady's 

 bed-chamber, and, being fond of birds, she Determined, if possible, to 

 rear them. Two of them died in the course of a week, but the third, 

 by feeding it with boiled egg, mixed occasionally with bread, she 

 succeeded in rearing. It grew fast, and continued in excellent health. 

 As flies were its most natural food, she supplied it with these as fre- 

 quently as possible. It drank plentifully of water, and seemed to 

 derive great pleasure from regularly washing itself. This bird grew 

 so tame that it would come to its mistress whenever she held out her 

 finger for it to alight upon ; and thus perched, would catch every fly 

 within its reach. Its eagerness in this act, and its manner of catching 

 these insects, the snap of its beak in so doing, and its general docility, 

 rendered it a very amusing and interesting object. Frequently after 

 dinner, Miss Boldero would bring it upon her finger into the dining- 

 room, a large and lofty apartment. Here it would fly about with 

 great freedom ; and, when tired, would come to its mistress to rest 

 itself upon her. It did not appear to notice a small Parrot, which 

 was loose in the same room, and upon the perches of whose stand it 

 was fond of alighting. If, however, the Parrot attempted to attack 

 it, the Swallow always opened its beak in a threatening manner, as if 

 resolved to defend itself from insult. . 



" When the usual term for the migration of its tribe approached 

 this bird became uneasy ; and, as it was occasionally hung in a cage 

 on the outside of the house, the other Swallows came about it, and 

 appeared to invite it to go with them. The Swallows, so long as any 

 remained, came every day to it ; and when they had all disappeared 

 it became tolerably tranquil. Miss Boldero was extremely anxious 

 to preserve it through the winter, and though aware of the difficulty 

 she should have in feeding it through that season, resolved to make 

 the attempt. On the 9th of October, however, after she had fed it as 

 usual, and had left it in apparent health and vigor, she had the morti- 

 fication, on returning to her chamber, to find it dead. The cause of 

 its death she was unable to ascertain; but she imagined that the bird 

 might have been inadvertently struck by the servant, whilst she waj 

 cleaning the room." 



THE MARTIN. 



About the 16th of April these birds begin to appear, and generally 

 for some time they pay no attention to the business of nidification, 

 but play and sport about, either to recruit themselves from the fatigue 

 of their journey, or else that their blood may recover its true tone 



