178 SWALLOWS. 



exposed sea-port towns, and making little excursions over 

 the salt water. Horsemen on wide downs are often closely 

 attended by a little party of swallows for miles together, 

 which play before and behind them, sweeping around, and 

 coUectiug aU 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 eoleoptera, as well as on 

 gnats and flies, and often settles on dug ground, or paths, 

 for gravels to grind and digest its food. Before they depart, 

 for some weeks, to a bird they forsake houses and chimneys, 

 and roost in trees, and usually vsdthdraw about the beginning 

 of October, though some few stragglers may appear on at 

 times tiU. the first week in November. 



Some few pairs haunt the new and open streets of London 

 next the fields, but do not enter, hke the house-martin, the 

 close and crowded parts of the city. 



Both male and female are distinguished from their conge- 

 ners b}"" the length and forkedness of their tails. They are 

 undoubtedly the most nimble of aU the species ; and when 

 the male pursues the female in amorous chase, they then go 

 beyond their usual speed, and exert a rapidity almost too 

 quick for the eye to follow. 



After this circumstantial detail of the life and discern- 

 ing (TTopyrj of the swallow, I shall add, for your further 

 amiisement, an anecdote or two, not much in favour of her 

 sagacity.* 



* The accompriEying very interesting communication made to me will afford 

 some contradiction tu this remark : — 



" June, 1848. As I know you are interested in the fate of all living beings, 

 I hesitate not to relate the following circumstances. A pair of swallows many 

 years ago built their nest in our carriage-house, and brought up two broods of 

 young ones; for their accommodation our man John, who is a most kind- 

 hearted fellow, put up a perch, for which they seemed grateful. Since that , 

 time they have come with unerring instinct year after year to the same spot ; 

 John always announcing their anival with great glee, and 1 believe considers ■ 

 them as a sort of guardian spirits of the building. This year another pair built 

 their house in the hay-loft, some distance from, and not in sight of the origina^ 

 settlers ; however they spied out the perch, and with true democratic insolence 

 took possession of it- The old family disdained to mix witli the parvenues, 

 and thei'esuU was frequent battles and noisy emeutes. Whether these affairs 



