OF SELBORNE. 205 



They bring out their young about the middle or latter 

 end of July : but as these never become perchers, nor, that 

 ever I could discern, are fed on the wing by their dams, the 

 coming forth of the young is not so notorious as in the 

 other species. 



On the 30th of last June I untiled the eaves of a house 

 where many pairs build, and found in each nest only two 

 squab, naked pulli : on the 8th of July I repeated the same 

 inquiry, and found they had made very little progress to- 

 wards a fledged state, but were still naked and helpless. 

 From whence we may conclude that birds whose way of life 

 keeps them perpetually on the wing, would not be able to 

 quit their nest till the end of the month. Swallows and 

 martins, that have numerous families, are continually feeding 

 them every two or three minutes; while swifts, that have 

 but two young to maintain, are much at their leisure, and 

 do not attend on their nests for hours together. 



Sometimes they pursue and strike at hawks that come in 

 their way; but not with that vehemence and fury that 

 swallows express on the same occasion. They are out all 

 day long in wet days, feeding about, and disregarding still 

 rain : from whence two things may be gathered ; first, that 

 many insects abide high in the air, even in rain ; and next, 

 that the feathers of these birds must be well preened to resist 

 so much wet. Windy, and particularly windy weather with 

 heavy showers, they dislike; and on such days withdraw, 

 and are scarce ever seen. 



There is a circumstance respecting the colour of swifts, 

 which seems not to be unworthy our attention. When they 

 arrive in the spring they are all over of a glossy, dark soot 

 colour, except their chins, which are white ; but by being 

 all day long in the sun and air, they become quite weather- 

 beaten and bleached before they depart, 1 and yet they return 

 glossy again in the spring. Now, if they pursue the sun 



1 Yarrell has remarked, that our swift departs before its moult, and 

 when its plumage is at the worst from wear and tear. Our summer 

 visitors generally complete their moult before they leave us, but not the 

 Hirundinida. See also foot-note, p. 172. ED. 



