58 The House-martin^ or Window-swallow. 



coping, and an eastern aspect, and at once commenced making 

 a general foundation for their nests. Suitable materials are 

 procured from the banks of an adjoining pond, or a puddle in 

 the lane. Let us go down and see them. Here they come, 

 sailing placidly over the tree- tops ; now they descend so as 

 almost to sweep the surface of the pond ; some of them alight 

 at once, others skim round, as if borne away by a brisk wind. 

 Those that have alighted walk about with short steps, looking 

 round for materials. Some seem not to find the mud suitable, 

 but seize on a piece of straw, or grass, which, tempering in the 

 mud, they then fly off with. Returning now to the building, we 

 see one using its tail planted against the wall, or against the 

 nest, if sufficiently advanced, as a support, deposit the material 

 it has brought by giving its head a wriggling motion, so that 

 the mud slides gently into the crevices of yesterday's work ; then 

 he retouches the whole. See, one has now arrived with his 

 supply before the other has finished : he is impatient to disbur- 

 den himself, and wants to drive off the worker, who rather 

 snappishly retorts, and he, poor fellow, goes off for a while with 

 the mud sticking to his bill. Now she has finished ; there is 

 room for him, and he goes back again and works hard in his 

 turn. They never alight o the nest without twittering. At 

 noon, if the weather be hot, they betake themselves to the fields, 

 or, after a dip in the pond, sun themselves on the house-top for 

 half an hour or so. Then they will hawk about for food, and 

 after awhile one of them may, perhaps, return and give another 

 touch or two to the work, or seat herself in the nest to consoli- 

 date the materials. But if cold, wet, or windy, they keep away. 

 "W'hat they do with themselves I know not ; but as soon as it clears 



