OF SELBORNE. 
They bruig out their young about the middh or latter end of 
July: but as thefe never become perchers, nor, that ever 1 could 
difcern, are fed on the wing by their dams, the coining forth of 
the vo\ing is not fo notorious as in the other fpecies. 
On the thirtieth of Lift June i unciled the eaves of an houfe where 
many pairs build, and found in each neft only two fquab, naked 
pulli : on the eighth of J;dy I repeated the fame Inquiry, and found 
they had made Vv-ry Ii de progrefs towards a fleJged ftate, but 
were ftill naked and helnlefs. From whence we may conclude 
that birds whofe way of life keeps them perpetually on the wing 
would not be able to quit their neft till the end of the month. 
Swallows and martins, that have numerous families, are continually 
feeding them every two or three minutes ; while fwifts, that have 
but two young to maintain, are much at their leifure, and do not 
attend on their nefts for hours together. 
Sometimes they purfue and ftrike at hawks that come in their 
way ; but not with that vehemence and fury that fwallows exprefs 
on the fame occalion. They are out all day long in wet days, feed- 
ing about, and difregarding ftill rain : from whence two things 
may be gathered ; firft, that many infefts abide high in the air, even 
in rain ; and next, that the feathers of thefe birds muft be well 
preened to refift fo much wet. Windy, and particularly windy 
weather with heavy (bowers, they diftike ; and on fuch days with- 
draw, and are fcarce ever feen. 
There is a circumftance refpecfting the colour of fwifts, which 
feems not to be vmworthy our attention. When they arrive in the 
fpring they are all over of a glofty, dark foot-colour, except their 
chins, which are white ; but, by being all day long in the fun and 
air, they become quite weather-beaten and bleached before they 
depart, and yet they return glofty again in the fpring. Now, if 
they 
