30 
IIIRUNDO PELASGIA. 
he particularly observed their reascension, which tool* 
place at a quarter past four, or twenty minutes befor® 
sunrise, and that they passed out iu less than thro* 
minutes ; that at my request the chimney had bec*' 
examined from above; but that, as far down at least 3* 
nine feet, it contained no nests; though at a form** 
period it is certain that their nests were very nuraeroi** 
there, so that the chimney was almost choked, and * 
sweep could with difficulty get up it. But then it w** 
observed that their place of nocturnal retirement ws* 
in another quarter of the town. “ On the whole,” coO" 
tinues Mr Churchman, “ I am of opinion, that thos* 
who continue to roost at the court-house are m-al* 
birds, or such as are not engaged in the business 
incubation, as that operation is going on in almoS* 
every unoccupied chimney in town. It is reasonable 
to suppose, if they made use of that at the court-hou^J 
for this purpose, at least some of their nests woul* 
appear towards the top, as we find such is the ca** 
where but few nests are in a place.” 
In a subsequent letter Mr Churchman writes «* 
follows: — “ After the young brood produced in tW 
different chimne 3 ’s in Easton had taken wing, and * 
week or ten d.ays previous to their total disappearanc* 
they entirely forsook the court-house chimney, ao^ 
rendezvoused in accumulated numbers in the souther^' 
most chimney of John Ross’s mansion, situated perhaf* 
one hundred feet northeastward of the court-house. V 
this last retreat I several times counted more than tu”* 
hundred go in of an evening, when I could not pC*! 
ceive a single bird enter the court-house chimney, 
was much diverted one evening on seeing a cat, whifl 
came upon the roof of the house, and placed herscl^ 
near the chimney, where she strove to arrest fl** 
birds as they entered, without success ; she at leng*^ 
ascended to the chimney top and took her station, aa^ 
the birds descended in gyrations without seeming *? 
regard grimalkin, who made frequent attempts to gr** 
them. I was pleased to see that they all escaped h*f 
fangs. About the first week in the ninth moot* 
