The transmitted text is corrupt and widely recognized as a crux. The phrase 'βαδίζειν' (to walk) makes little sense in the context of birds, and the dative 'χελιδόσιν' (to swallows) lacks a governing preposition or verb of motion compatible with 'βαδίζειν'. Most editors, following the suggestion of Hermann and others, conjecture that 'βαδίζειν' should be replaced with 'πετοῦν' (to fly) or that the verb is missing entirely, with 'ὡσπερ' introducing a comparison to the flight of swallows. The phrase 'λέγει' (says) is also problematic here; some suggest it is a corruption of 'ἕπει' (follows) or that the sentence is a fragment of a larger dialogue where the verb is elliptical. The current text as transmitted is syntactically and semantically incoherent without significant emendation.