0*" SEIBORKE. 



289 



all the swallows and martins about him ; 

 who pursue in a body, and buffet and strike 

 their enemy till they have driven him from 

 the village, darting down from above on his 

 back, and rising in a perpendicular line in 

 perfect security. This bird also will sound 

 the alarm ^ and strike at cats when they 

 climb on the roofs of houses, or otherwise 

 approach the nests. Each species of hi- 

 rundo drinks as it flies along, sipping the 

 surface of the water; but the swallow alone, 

 in general, washes on the wing, by dropping 

 into a pool for many times together : in 

 very hot weather house-martins and bank- 

 martins dip and wash a little. 



The swallow is a delicate songster, and 

 in soft sunny weather sings both perching 

 and flying ; on trees in a kind of concert, 

 and on chimney tops : is also a bold flyer, 

 ranging to distant downs and commons 

 even in windy weather, which the other 

 Species seem much to dislike ; nay, even 

 frequenting exposed sea-port towns, and 

 making little excursions over the salt-water. 

 Horsemen on wide downs are often closely 



VOL. I. u 



