204 NATURE IN DOWNLAND 



the same spot, not far from a field that he had to 

 watch. The birds would appear first at a great height, 

 and rush straight down as if falling from the sky, 

 until within a few yards of the earth, when they would 

 dash off in various directions or begin flying about the 

 village. It came into his head to play them a trick, 

 and one morning he took the loaded gun, used for 

 scaring the rooks, and stationed himself a little before 

 sunrise at the spot where the swifts invariably made 

 their descent. Shortly after sunrise they appeared, 

 first as small specks in the sky, coming down with 

 tremendous speed ; and waiting until they were within 

 thirty yards of his head he fired his gun into the 

 middle of the bunch. Instantly the birds scattered, 

 but after a few moments came together again and 

 began to mount higher and higher until they dis- 

 appeared from sight in the sky, and he saw no more 

 of them until a later hour in the day. 



It struck me as extremely improbable that this 

 most circumstantial story was invented by the boy; 

 in any case, perhaps it would be as well if those who 

 are accustomed to watch the swifts rising on a summer 

 evening until they disappear from sight, and to listen 

 to their shrill triumphant screams growing fainter and 

 fainter until they cease to be audible, would also watch 

 for their return at sunrise in the morning. 



