OF SELBORNE. 
157 
long in ascending and descending with security through so nar- 
row a pass. When hovering over the mouth of the funnel, the 
vibrations of her wings acting on the confined air occasion a 
rumbling like thunder. It is not improbable that the dam sub- 
mits to this inconvenient situation so low in the shaft, in order 
to secure her broods from rapacious birds, and particularly from 
owls, which frequently fall down chimneys, perhaps in attempting 
to get at these nestlings. 
The swallow^ lays from four to six white eggs, dotted with red 
specks ; and brings out her first brood about the last week in 
June, or the first week in July. The progressive method by 
which the young are introduced into life is very amusing : first, 
they emerge from the shaft with difficulty enough, and often 
fall down into the rooms below ; for a day or so they are fed on 
the chimney-top, and then are conducted to the dead leafless 
bough of some tree, where sitting in a row they are attended 
with, great assiduity, and may then be called perchers. In a day 
or two more they become flyers, but are still unable to take their 
own food ; therefore they play about near the place where the dams 
are hawking for flies ; and when a mouthful is collected, at a 
certain signal given the dam and the nestling advance, rising 
towards each other, and meeting at an angle ; the young one 
all the while uttering such a little quick note of gratitude and 
complacency, that a person must have paid very little regard to 
the wonders of nature that has not often remarked this feat. 
The dam betakes herself immediately to the business of a 
second brood as soon as she is disengaged from her first ; which 
at once associates with the first broods of house-martins ; and 
with them congregates, clustering on sunny roofs, towers, and 
trees. This Mr undo brings out her second brood towards the 
middle and end of August. 
All the summer long the swallow is a most instructive pattern 
of unwearied industry and affection ; for from morning to night, 
while there is a family to be supported, she spends the whole 
day in skimming close to the ground, and exerting the most sud- 
den turns and quick evolutions. Avenues, and long walks un- 
der hedges, and pasture-fields, and mown meadows where cattle 
graze, are her delight, especially if there are trees interspersed ; 
