BIRDS. 197 
This guest of summer, 
The temple-haunting Marlet, does approve, 
By his loved masonry, that Heaven's breath 
Smells wooingly here. No jutting frieze, 
Buttress, or coignes of 'vantage, but this bird 
Hath made his pendant bed and procreant cradle : 
Where they most breed and haunt, I havV-observed 
The air is delicate. 
The chimney Swallow is on the head, neck, back, and 
rump of a shining black colour, with purple gloss and 
sometimes with a blue shade ; the throat and neck are of 
the same colour ; the breast and belly are white, with a 
dash of red. The tail is forked, and consists of twelve 
feathers. The wings are of the same colour with the back. 
Swallows feed upon flies, worms, and insects; and gene- 
rally hunt their prey on the wing. 
Away ! away ! thou summer bird ; 
For Autumn's moaning voice is heard, 
In cadence wild, and deepening swell, 
Of winter's stern approach to tell. 
THE MARTIN, OR WINDOW SWALLOW. 
(Hirundo urbica.) 
THESE birds begin to appear about the middle of April, 
and for some time they pay no attention to the business 
of nidification, but sport and play about, either to recruit 
themselves from the fatigue of the journey, or else that 
