BRITISH BIRDS. 
*53 
white fpot on the inner web ; the legs are very 
fhort, delicately fine, and blackilh. 
The common Swallow makes its appearance 
with us foon after the vernal equinox, and leaves 
us again about the end of September : It builds its 
neft generally in chimnies, in the infide, within a 
few feet of the top, or under the eaves of houfes ; 
it is curioufly conftruded, of a cylindrical fhape, 
plaftered with mud, mixed with ftraw and hair, and 
lined with feathers ; it is attached to the fides or 
corners of the chimney, and is fometimes a foot in 
height, open at the top ; the female lays five or fix 
eggs, white, fpeckled with red. Swallows return 
to the fame haunts ; they build annually a new neft, 
and fix it, if the place admits, above that occupied 
the preceding .year.* We are favoured by Sir 
John Trevelyan, Bart, with the following curious 
fad: — At Camerton Hall, near Bath, a pair of 
Swallows built their neft on the upper part of the 
frame of an old pidure over the chimney, coming 
through a broken pane in the window of the room. 
They came three years fucceifively, and in all pro- 
bability would have continued to do fo if the room 
had not been put into repair, which prevented their 
accefs to it. Both this bird and the Martin have 
generally two broods in the year, the firft in June* 
the other in Auguft, or perhaps later. We have 
feen a young Swallow, which was fliot on the 26th 
• Buffon. 
