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CHIMNE Y SWALLOW. 



ately after, and by the whole circling multitude in succession : 

 in this feint they approached nearer and nearer at every 

 revolution, dropping perpendicularly, but still passing over; 

 the circle meantime becoming more and more contracted, and 

 the rapidity of its revolution greater, as the dusk of evening 

 increased, until, at length, one, and then another, dropped in, 

 another and another followed, the circle still revolving, until 

 the whole multitude had descended, except one or two. These 

 flew off, as if to collect the stragglers, and, in a few seconds, 

 returned, with six or eight more, which, after one or two rounds, 

 dropped in one by one, and all was silence for the night. It 

 seemed to me hardly possible that the internal surface of the 

 vent could accommodate them all, without clustering on one 

 another, which I am informed they never do ; and I was very 

 desirous of observing their ascension in the morning, but having 

 to set off before day, I had not that gratification. Mr Church- 

 man, however, to whom I have since transmitted a few queries, 

 has been so obliging as to inform me, that towards the begin- 

 ning of June the number of those that regularly retired to the 

 court-house to roost was not more than one-fourth of the 

 former ; that on the morning of the 23d of June, he particu- 

 larly observed their reascension, which took place at a quarter- 

 past four, or twenty minutes before sunrise, and that they 

 passed out in less than three minutes: that at my request the 

 chimney had been examined from above ; but that, as far down 

 at least as nine feet, it contained no nests ; though at a former 

 period it is certain that their nests were very numerous there, 

 so that the chimney was almost choked, and a sweep could 

 with difficulty get up it. But then it was observed that their 

 place of nocturnal retirement was in another quarter of the 

 town. " On the whole," continues Mr Churchman, " I am of 

 opinion that those who continue to roost at the court-house 

 are male birds, or such as are not engaged in the business of 

 incubation, as that operation is going on in almost every 

 unoccupied chimney in town. It is reasonable to suppose, 

 if they made use of that at the court-house for this purpose, 



