CHIMNEY SWALLOW. 
87 
At the celebrated bacchanalian villag-e of Hockheim on the Maine, in 
1829, I observed about a dozen of these nests suspended from the rafters 
of a larg-e coach-house. We should not have supposed that a bird thus 
building- in an elevated chimney would have thought of g-oing- under 
g-round for a nestling- place ; yet Mr. White remarks, that he has known 
a swallow build down the shaft of an old well, through which chalk had 
been formerly drawn up for the purpose of manure. To me this is not 
at all remarkable, for I have seen them very commonly build in the 
shafts of old coal-pits, such as at Sorn, in Ayrshire, Quarreltown, Ren- 
frewshire, and Musselburgh, near Edinburgh. What was more singular, 
they did not seem deterred by the continual passing and re-passing of 
the workmen, who consider it unlucky to injure the birds ; and though, 
for the most part, they might find a sufficient number of old aban- 
doned shafts, they do not appear to have any peculiar preference for 
these.* * 
The food of this bird, as of the whole genus, is winged insects, in 
catching which it is extremely dexterous ; and, considering- the velocity 
of its flight, its sight must be incomparably quick. It makes its first 
appearance with us in April, sometimes as early as the first week, if 
the weather is mild ; and it sometimes happens that after their arrival 
a long easterly wind prevails, which so benumbs the insect tribe, that 
thousands die for want of food. We recollect as late as the 9th of 
May the swallows on a sudden disappeared from all the neighbouring 
villages around. The thermometer was at 42, and we were at a loss to 
conceive what was become of these birds, which a day or two before 
were seen in abundance. But by chance we discovered hundreds col- 
lected together in a valley close to the sea side, at a large pool that was 
well sheltered. Here they seem to have found some species of fly, 
though scarce sufficient to support life ; for many were so exhausted, 
that after a short time on the wing they were obliged to pitch on the 
sandy shore. 
Why it should be necessary to account for the loss of this tribe of 
birds in the winter, by making them to immerse during that season, is 
extraordinary, when at the same time no doubts have been entertained 
of the migration of other birds, whose powers of wing are far inferior. 
And yet there have not been wanting persons who have declared they 
have seen them drawn up in nets, and restored from their benumbed 
state. Others are said to lie torpid in cliffs, hollow trees, and such 
places : but even this more probable account is to be doubted, except 
perhaps with respect to a few of the latter broods, which had not strength 
* Architecture of Birds, p. 114. 
