OF SELBORNE. ^73 



a middle region of the air, seldom mount- 

 ing to any great height, and never sweep- 

 ing long together over the surface of the 

 ground or water. They do not wander far 

 for food, but affect sheltered districts, over 

 some lake, or under some hanging wood, 

 or in some hollow vale, especially in windy 

 weather. They breed the latest of all the 

 swallow kind: in 1772 they had nestlings 

 on to October the twenty-first, and are 

 never without unfledged young as late as 

 Michaelmas, 



As the Summer declines the congregating 

 flocks increase in numbers daily by the 

 constant accession of the second broods ; 

 till at last they swarm in myriads upon 

 myriads round the villages on the Thames^ 

 darkening the face of the sky as they fre- 

 quent the aits of that river^ where they 

 roost. They retire, the bulk of them t 

 mean, in vast flocks together about the 

 beginning of October : but have appeared of 

 late years in a considerable flight in this 

 neighbourhood, for one day or two, as 

 late as November the third and sixth, after 



VOL. T 



