198 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
and unmanly amufc-ment, of (hooting at them 
with guns, under the pretence of perfecting them* 
felves in that art, by exercifing it againft a mark, 
which moves fo fwiitly, lo irregularly, and con- 
fequently which it muft be lo difficult to hit. 
They frequent the fame place, year after year j 
this is proved by the experiment of Jtrifch : and 
at a caftle near Lorraine,--a--ring of brafs wire was 
fixed to the foot of a Swallow, the Swallow re¬ 
turned with it again the next year. Every feafon 
they build a newneft, clofe to that of the year be¬ 
fore, compofed of draw, of plailtered earth, and 
korfe-hair, and lined with dry grabs and feathers, 
and open at the top. 
They are carefling birds; the female lays twice 
a year. Whilft file fits, the male fpends the night 
on the edge of the neft j his reft is fhort; he flies 
till late in the evening, and begins his babbling 
early in the morning. As foon as the young are 
hatched, both the parents frequently feed them, 
and keep the neft remarkably neat. But it is 
very amuftng to fee them inftrudt their offspring 
how to fly ; they encourage them by their voice, 
prefent them with their food at a little diftance, 4 
drawing back by degrees as they advance, and at 
laft gently pufti them from the neft, not without 
the appearance of great folicitude : they fport with 
their 
