404 
‘DESCRIP. 
So wir 7. ~ tee 
cies Hivundo muraria. It breeds under the eaves_of 
houfes, in fteeples, and other lofty buildings; makes _ 
its neft of graffes and feathers; and lays only two” 
eges, of a white color. It is entirely of a olofly 
dark footy colot, only the chin is marked with a 
white {pot: but by being fo conftantly expofed 
to all weathers, the glofs of the plumage is loft 
ibefore it retires. I cannot trace them to their win- 
“ter quarters, unlefs in one inftance of a pair found 
adhering by their claws and in a torpid ftate, in 
February 1766, under the roof of Lougnor Chapel, 
Shropfhire: on being brought to a fire, they re- 
vived and moved about the room. The feet are 
of a particular ftructure, all the toes ftanding for- 
ward ; the left confifts of only one bone; the o- 
thers of an equal number, viz. two each; in 
which they differ from thofe of all other birds. 
This appears in our country about fourteen days 
later than the fand martin; but differs greatly in 
the time of its departure, retiring invariably about 
the tenth of Auguft, being the firft of the genus 
that leaves us. 
The fabulous hiftory of the Mawucodiata, or bird 
of Paradife, is in the hiftory of this fpecies in great 
meafure verified. It was believed to have no feet, 
to live upon the celeftial dew, to float perpetually 
on the /uaian, and to perform all its funétions 
- in that element. 
The Swirt actually performs what has been in 
thefe enlightened times difproved of the former; 
except 
