OF SELBOENE. 193 



and exerting the most sudden turns and quick evolutions. 

 Avenues, and long walks under hedges, and pasture fields, 

 and mown meadows where cattle graze, are her delight, 

 especially if there are trees interspersed ; because in such 

 spots insects most abound. When a fly is taken a smart 

 snap from her bill is heard, resembling the noise at the 

 shutting of a watchcase ; but the motion of the mandibles 

 is too quick for the eye. 



The swallow, probably the male bird, is the excubitor to 

 house martins, and other little birds, announcing the ap- 

 proach of birds of prey. For as soon as a hawk appears, 

 with a shrill alarming note he calls all the swallows and 

 martins about him ; who pursue in a body, and buffet and 

 strike their enemy till they have driven him from the vil- 

 lage, darting down from above on his back, and rising in 

 a perpendicular line in perfect security. This bird also will 

 sound the alarm, and strike at cats when they climb on the 

 roofs of houses, or otherwise approach the nests. Each 

 species of Hirundo drinks as it flies along, sipping the sur- 

 face of the water ; but the swallow alone, in general, washes 

 on the wing, by dropping into a pool for many times to- 

 gether: 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 flyer, 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 ex- 

 cursions 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 



o 



