THE NATURAL HISTORY 
weather was then fine ; but it foon changed, and 9 j 
by the gth of September, fledges were ufcd. 
At other time they have been known to flay I 
later, though the weather has not been very mild; I 
it was judged from thence that no very fevere I 
weather would foon happen. 
They breed two or three times in the feafon: I 
the male afliduoufly attends upon the female whilft fl 
fhe fits, and fhews the tendered folicitude for her, | 
and for their young, attacking with great fpirit any | 
bird that approaches the neft. Still there have been 1 
inftances where, in coniequence of an accidental j 
derangement, this affedlion feems to have va- j 
nidled. One of their little ones, juft capable of | 
flying, fell from the neft upon the window fill ; 
the parents entirely negledted him : finding him- 1 
felf thus abandoned, he exerted his powers, and 1 
in three quarters of an hour began to fly. A neft 
was taken with all the young from the upper cor¬ 
ner of a window, and laid upon the window-fill; 
the parents flying backwards and forwards, and 
frequently vifiting tiie fpot where their neft was, 
muft have feen their young, and heard their cries, 
but they fhewed them no attention. 
They live on infedts, and feed their young when 
they can fly, on the wing ; they catch the infedfs 
flying, and if they fee one on a wall, they brufn 
