opening fometimes in the fide and at others in the top, but 

 only fufficiently large to permit a paflage ; they lay five or 

 fix white femitranfparent eggs, finely fpeckled with red ; they 

 often have two broods in the year. 



The Swallow vifits this country early in the fpring, fome- 

 times as early as the laft week in March, or the firft in April, 

 if the feafon is mild ; fhould the weather prove fevere 

 after their arrival, they frequently difappear, and retire to 

 warm fheltered pools, where if the wind continues eafterly, 

 and is of long duration, hundreds perifh for want, as their 

 food confifts entirely of winged infe&s, which remain in a 

 torpid flate during fevere weather ; they catch their prey 

 while on wing with aflonifiiing dexterity ; when the weather 

 is damp, and the air cloudy, they will frequently follow the 

 courfe of a horfe (and will fly round it with the greater! eafe, 

 though it may be proceeding at full fpeed) for the infects 

 that may be roufed by its motion : in moid weather they fly 

 low, and after heavy rains they repair to the margins of 

 ftreams, or the fides of ftagnant pools, where they generally 

 find an ample (lore of food. They fly very near the water, 

 and often dip their wings during flight. 



Concerning the migration or difappearance of f wallows, 

 many opinions and conjectures have been hazarded, and many 

 perfons have been fufficiently credulous to believe they 

 retire beneath the water and become torpid; but why it 

 mould have been thought that thefe birds immerfe themfelves, 

 feems at this day unaccountable, efpecially as we know the 

 fpecific gravity of thefe birds is confiderably lighter than 

 water ; they have been defcribed (previous to their imm$rfion) 

 as feizing hold of any kind of (lick or reed, to which a 



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