204 NATURAL HISTORY 



a quarter before nine in the evening, being the latest of all 

 day birds. Just before they retire, whole groups of them 

 assemble high in the air, and squeak, and shoot about with 

 wonderful rapidity. But this bird is never so much alive 

 as in sultry thundry weather, when it expresses great alac- 

 rity, and calls forth all its powers. In hot mornings, 

 several, getting together in little parties, dash round the 

 steeples and churches, squeaking as they go in a very 

 clamorous manner : these, by nice observers, are supposed 

 to be males serenading their sitting hens ; and not without 

 reason, since they seldom squeak till they come close to the 

 walls or eaves, and since those within utter at the same time 

 a little inward note of complacency. 



When the hen has sat hard all day, she rushes forth just 

 as it is almost dark, and stretches and relieves her weary 

 limbs, and snatches a scanty meal for a few minutes, and 

 then returns to her duty of incubation. Swifts, when wan- 

 tonly and cruelly shot while they have young, discover a 

 little lump of insects in their mouths, which they pouch and 

 hold under their tongue. In general they feed in a much 

 higher district than the other species : a proof that gnats 

 and other insects do also abound to a considerable height in 

 the air : they also range to vast distances ; since locomotion 

 is no labour to them, who are endowed with such wonderful 

 powers of wing. Their powers seem to be in proportion to 

 their levers ; and their wings are longer in proportion than 

 those of almost any other bird. When they mute, or ease 

 themselves in flight, they raise their wings, and make them 

 meet over their backs. 



At some certain times in the summer I had remarked 

 that swifts were hawking very low for hours together over 

 pools and streams; and could not help inquiring into the 

 object of their pursuit that induced them to descend so 

 much below their usual range. After some trouble, I found 

 that they were taking Phryganea, Ephemera, and Libellulce 

 (cadew-flies, may-flies, and dragon-flies), that were just 

 emerged out of their aurelia state. I then no longer won- 

 dered that they should be so willing to stoop for a prey that 

 afforded them such plentiful and succulent nourishment. 



