218 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
posing that the examination would be made to the best 
advantage in the spring, and observing that no martins had 
appeared by the 11th of April last, on that day I employed 
some men to explore the shrubs and cavities of the suspected 
spot. ‘The persons took pains, but without any success; how- 
ever, a remarkable incident occurred in the midst of our pursuit : 
while the laborers were at work a house-martin, the first that 
had been seen this year, came down the village in the sight of 
several people, and went at once into a nest, where it stayed 
a short time, and then flew over the houses; for some days 
after no martins were observed, not till the 16th of April, and 
then only a pair. Martins in general were remarkably late 
this year. 
LETTER XLVII. 
_ SELBORNE, Sept. oth, 1781. 
I have just met with a circumstance respecting swifts, which 
furnishes an exception to the whole tenor of my observations 
ever since I have bestowed any attention on that species of 
ffirundines. Our swifts, in general, withdrew this year about 
the first day of August, all save one pair, which in two or three 
days was reduced to a single bird. The perseverance of this 
individual made me suspect that the strongest of motives, that 
of an attachment to her young, could alone occasion so late 
a stay. I watched therefore till the 24th of August, and then 
discovered that, under the eaves of the church, she attended 
upon two young, which were fledged, and now put out their 
white chins from a crevice. These remained till the 27th, 
looking more alert every day, and seeming to long to be on the 
wing. After this day they were missing at once; nor could 
I ever observe them with their dam coursing round the church 
in the act of learning to fly, as the first broods evidently do. 
ty 
4 
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