BRITISH BIRDS* 
S56 
precipices near the fea, or by the fides of lakes, and 
not unfrequently under the eaves of houfes, or clofe 
by the fides of the windows ; its neft is made of 
mud and ftraw on the outfide, and is lined within 
with feathers ; the firft hatch the female lays five 
eggs, which are white, inclining to dulky at the 
larger end ; the fecond time lhe lays three or four ; 
and the third, (when that takes place) fhe only lays 
two or three. During the time the young birds 
are confined to the neft, the old one feeds them, ad- 
hering by the claws to the outfide ; but as foon as 
they are able to fly, they receive their nourifhment 
on the wing, by a motion quick and almoft imper- 
ceptible to thofe who are not accuftomed to ob« 
ferve it. The Martin arrives fomewhat later than 
the Swallow, and does not leave us fo foon : We 
have obferved them in the neighbourhood of Lon- 
don as late as the middle of Odlober. Mr White, 
in his Natural Hiftory of Selborne, has made fome 
very judicious remarks on thefe birds, with a view 
to illuftrate the time and manner of their annual 
migrations. The following quotation is very 
appofite to that purpofe, and ferves to confirm 
the idea that the greateft part of them quit this 
ifland in fearch of warmer climates. “ As the 
fummer declines, the congregating flocks increafe 
in numbers daily by the conftant acceflion of the 
fecond broods ; till at laft they fwarm in myriads 
upon myriads round the villages on the Thames, 
darkening the face of the Iky as they frequent the 
