THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 147 
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 Hirundo 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 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 ; 
it is also a bold flier, 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 at- 
tended by a little party of swallows for miles to- 
gether, which plays before and behind them, sweep- 
ing around, and collecting all the skulking insects 
that are roused by the trampling of the horses' feet ; 
when the wind blows hard, without this expedient, 
