opening fometlmes in the fide and at others in the top, but 
only fufficiently large to permit a pafTage ; they lay five or 
fix white femitranfparent eggs, finely fpeckied 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 lall: week in March, or the firft in April, 
if the feafon is mild ; fliould 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 confifls entirely of winged infe£ls, which remain in a 
torpid (late during fevere weather ; they catch their prey 
while on wing with aftonifhing 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 greatefl: eafe, 
though it may be proceeding at full fpeed) for the infe£ls 
that may be roufed by its motion: injnoift 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 ftore of food. They fly very near the w^ater, 
and often dip their wings during flight. 
Concerning the migration or difappearance of fwallows, 
many opinions and conjedlures have been hazarded, and many 
perfons have been fufficiently credulous to believe they 
retire beneath the water and become torpid ; but why it 
fhould 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 immerfion) 
as feizing hold of any kind of flick or reed, to which a 
number 
