LYII.] 
159 
they forsake houses and chimneys to a bird, and roost in trees ; 
and usually withdraw about the beginning of October; though 
some few stragglers may appear at times till the first week in 
November. 
[September 13, 1791. The congregating flocks of liirundines 
on the church and tower are very beautiful and amusing ! When 
they fly ofl" together from the roof, on any alarm, they quite swarm 
in the air. But they soon settle in heaps, and preening their 
feathers, and lifting up their wings to admit the sun, seem highly 
to enjoy the warm situation. Thus they spend the heat of the 
day, preparing for their emigration, and, as it were, consulting 
when and where they are to go. The flight about the church 
seems to consist chiefly of house-martins, about 400 in number: 
but there are other places of rendezvous about the village fre- 
quented at the same time.^ 
It is remarkable, that though most of them sit on the battle- 
ments and roof, yet many hang or cling for some time by their 
claws against the surface of the walls, in a manner not prac- 
tised by them at any other time of their remaining with us. 
The swallow^s seem to delight more in holding their assem- 
blies on trees. 
N^ovember 3, 1789. Two swallows were seen this morning at 
Newton vicarage-house hovering and settling on the roofs and 
out-buildings. None have been observed at Selborne since 
October 11. It is very remarkable, that after the hirundines 
have disappeared for some w^eeks, a few are occasionally seen 
again : sometimes in the first w^eek in November, and that only 
for one day. Do they not withdraw and slumber in some hiding 
1 Of their migration the proofs are such as will scarcely admit of a doubt. 
Sir Charles Wager and Captain Wright saw vast flocks of them at sea, 
when on their passage from one country to another. Our author, Mr. White, 
saw what he deemed the actual migration of these birds which he has 
described at page 74, and again in the above extract ; and I once 
observed a large flock of house-martins myself on the roof of the church 
here at Catsfield, which acted exactly in the manner here described by 
Mr. White, sometimes preening their feathers and spreading their wings 
to the sun, and then flying off all together, but soon returning to their 
former situation. The greatest part of these birds seemed to be young ones. — 
Markwick. 
