tï
* -tf
zg. 1 .T
J S 6 N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y
Guiaquil% are defoliated, it feems, by the infinite fwarms of venomous
mofquitoes, which fill the air, and render thole eoafts irfup-
portable. It would be worth inquiring whether any fpecies of
hirundines is found in thofe regions. Whoever contemplates the
■ myriads of infects that fport in the fun-beams o f a fummer evening
in this country, will foon be convinced to what a degree our
atmofphere would be choaked with them was it not for the friendly
interposition of the fwallow tribe.
Many fpecies of birds have their peculiar lice; but die hirundines
alone feem to be annoyed with dipterous infeCts, which infeft every
fpecies, 'and ate fo large, in proportion to themfclves, that they muft
be extremely irklbme and injurious to them. Thefe are the
hippohofca hirundinis, with narrow fubulated wings, abounding in
every neft; and are hatched by the warmth of the bird’s own body
during incubation, and crawl about under it’s feathers.
A fpecies of them is familiar to horfemen in the fouth of England
under the name offorefi-jly; and to fome of jide-fiy, from it’s Tuning
fideways like a crab. It creeps under the tails, and about the
groins, of horfes, which, at their firft coming out of the north, are
rendered half frantic by the tickling fenfation; while our own
breed little regards them.
The curious Reaumur difcovered the large eggs, or rather pupa,
of thefe flies as big as the flies themfelves, which he hatched in
his own bofom. Any perfon that will take the trouble to examine
the old nefts of either fpecies of fwallows may find in them the
black Ihining cafes or Ikins o f the pupa of thefe infedts ; but for
other particulars, too long for this place, we refer the reader t o
l’ Hi^oire d’Infecles of that admirable entomologift. Tom. iv, pi. m .
* See Ulloa's Travels*
L E T T E R
O F S E L B O R N E . *57
L E T T E R X V I.
TO THE S AM E .
D E A R SIR, Selborne, Nov. ao. 177J.
I n obedience to your injunctions I fit down to give you fome account
of the houfe-martin, or martlet; and, if my monography o f
this little domeftic and familiar bird fhould happen to meet with
your approbation, I may probably foon extend my inquiries to the
reft of the Brilijh hirundines— the fwallow, thefwift, and the bank-
martin.
A few houfe-martins begin to appear about the fixteenth o f April;
ufually fome few days later than the fwallow. For fome time
after they appear the hirundines in general pay no attention to the
bufinefs of nidification, but play and fport about, either to recruit
from the fatigue of their journey, if they do migrate at all, or elfe
that their blood may recover it’s true tone and texture after it has
been fo long benumbed by the feverities of winter. About the
middle of May, if the weather be fine, the martin begins to think
in earneft of providing a maniion for it’s family. The cruft or
Ihell of this neft feems to be formed of fuch dirt or loam as comes
moft readily to hand, and is tempered and wrought together with
little bits of broken ftraws to render it tough and tenacious. As
this bird often builds againft a perpendicular wall without any projecting
ledge under, it requires it’s utmoft efforts to get the firft
foundation firmly fixed, fo that it may fafely carry the fuperftruc-
ture. On this occafion the bird not only clings with it’s claws,
but