170 
NATURAL HISTORY 
hedges, and pafkire-fields, and mown meadows where cattle graze, 
are her delight, efpecially if there are trees interfperfed ; becaufe 
in fuch fpots infeds moft abound. When a fly is taken a fmart 
fnap from her bill is heard, refembling the noife at the fliutting 
of a watch -cafe ; but the motion of the mandibles are too quick 
for the eye. 
The fwallow, probably the male bird, is the excuh'itor to houfe- 
martins, and other little birds, announcing the approach of birds 
of prey. For as foon as an hawk appears, with a flirill alarming 
note he calls all the fwallows and martins about him ; who purfue 
in a body, and buffet and ftrike their enemy till they have driven 
him from the village, darting down from above on his back, and 
rifmg in a perpendicular line in perfedl fecurity. This bird alfa 
will found the alarm, and ftrike at cats when they climb on the 
roofs of houfes, or otherwife approach the nefts. Each fpecies of 
hirundo drinks as it flies along, fipping the furface of the water ; 
but the fwallow alone, in general, waJJjes on the wing, by dropping 
into a pool for many times together : in very hot weather houfe- 
martins and bank-martins dip and wafli a httle. 
The fwallow is a delicate fongfter, and in foft funny weather 
fings both perching and flying ; on trees in a kind of concert, and 
on chimney tops : is alfo a bold flyer, ranging to diftant downs and 
commons even in windy weather, which the other fpecies feem 
much to diflike ; nay, even frequenting expofed fea-port towns, 
and making little excurfions over the fait water. Horfemen on 
wide downs are often clofely attended by a little party of fwallows 
for miles together, which plays before and behind them, fweeping 
around, and colleding all the fculking infeds that are roufed by 
the trampling of the horfes feet : when the wind blows hard, 
without this expedient, they are often forced to fettle to pick up 
their lurking prey This 
