
198 THE: NATURAL HISTORY © 
. ee ;, 
Loe 
* vi 
t } 

and unmanly amufement, of fhooting at them 
- with guns, under the pretence of perfeGting them- 
— felves in that. art, by exercifing itagainit a mark, 
which moves fo fwiftly, fo irregularly, and com’ 


— fequently which it muft be fo difficult to hit. 
They frequent the fame place, year after year 5 
this is proved by the experiment of F rifeh : and 
at d 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 new neft, clofe to that of the year be- 
fore, compofed of ftraw, of plaiftered earth, and 
horfe-hair, and lined with dry any and ey | 
and open at the top. | re . 
They are careffing birds ; the female me twice 
ayear. Whilft the fits, the male {pends the night 
on the edge of the neft ; his reft is fhort ; he flies 
till late in the evening, and begins his ‘babbling | 
early in the morning. As foon as the young alt 
hatched, both the parents frequently feed them, 
and keep the neft remarkably neat. But ite 
very amuling to fee them inftru& their offspring : 
how to fly; they encourage them by their voices 
prefent them with their food at a little diftancty 
drawing back by degrees as they advance, and at 
laft gently pufh them from the neft, ‘not without 
the appearance of great fohiettude : they {port with | 
; thei 

