. 0?i tMTorpldUy ofA/iimdls, 04 5 



that instances of the torpidity of the trochilui arc by.no 

 me^ns uncommon in the United Slates : and I regret i\^y 

 ^laving treated with so httle respect, the upinion of tk^ 

 Conneciicut gentleman already aliuded to. It "is certain^ 

 at least, that the trochilus, hkc the generality of the SA\ial- 

 Jows, >is very impatient of cold; and that it sometimes, 

 even in our houses, very suddenly passes into a profound 

 slumber, from which, however, it awake*, to enjoy all the 

 j)rivileges of its life. — I say this is certain. And this, so 

 far as his sentiments may be collected from his Essay, is 

 more than Dr. Reeve is willing to admit of a//y species in 

 ^ the great class of Birds. 



The fact of the torpidity of the trockilus was not un- 

 known above two centuries ago. It is related by the 

 Spanish historians Herrera, Ximtnes, and bcveral others, 

 though it must be confessed tbat these vvriters have mixed 

 witn the truth, souin Jable. I have lately conversed with 

 an intelligent genileman, who was born, and has long re- 

 sided, in the kingdom of Mexico. He assures me, that the 

 fact of the torpidity of the trochihis is known to every one 

 in that country, and in the adjacent provinces, ll^i added, 

 that he had himself seen one of these little birds in its 

 brun;al sleep, m a tree. — ! shall discuss this subject at 

 length, and shall illustrate it by actual experiments, in my 

 work on the torpid state of animals, to whith I have al- 

 ready alluded. In the mean while, I flatter myself that 

 the following lines, a part of which imrnediately relates to 

 the somnus of the trockilus, will not be wholly unaccepta- 

 ble to some of your readers. The author is Raphael Laii- 

 divar, a native of Guaiimala; and his poem, entitled Rusti- 

 caiio MexiQarta, in fifteen books, besides an Appendix, in 

 verse also, deserves to be nmch belter known than it ap- 

 pears to be. It is, indeed, well worthy of an English trans- 

 lation; and I sincerely wish that the elegant JMr. Sothebv, 

 whose translation of the Georgics ot V'lrgil has so deserv- 

 edly procured him a high reputation,, could bejinduced tp 



Tliames; and that towards the end of the ycnr they aseemble in jrreat num- 

 bers on the little UUutls of the river, and then submerge theaiselvts in ll»e 

 water." — " Upon reading the minutes of the last meeting, ^.r. Henshaw 

 remarked, that Dr. Harvey h:Aci considered the state of swallows in the 

 win:er, and had di.'^.'.ecied some of them, which Irad Jjecii found under water, 

 and could not observe that there waseither waruiih or motion in them."— 

 ♦♦ Mr. Chefwynd, of Inj^stree, being present (at a meeting of the Royal 

 Society), obierved, that daring I'he time that the swallows are laid up fcir 

 the winter, tliey moidt, and return in the spring with all new teatiiers." 

 'J'he History of the Royal Socifty of London, &c. &c. By Thomas Birch, 

 J).D. Secretary to the K:n •jj Society, vol.iv. pajjes 5;3:J, 534. 5i\7. 



Q 3 undertake 



