DO SWALLOWS HIBERNATE? 377 



is the gist of the whole counter argument. I repeat, that it is 

 not scientific to deny the alleged hibernation a 'priori; and 

 that the testimony, so far from ceasing with the irresponsible 

 infancy of science, is reiterated to-day with the full voice of 

 mature science, in terms that have not been successfully re- 

 futed. We may always suspend judgment, and such tentative 

 attitude is worthy of respect ; but it is not permitted us, in the 

 present aspect of the case, to rule out the evidence. 



Swallows, moreover, are not the only birds that are alleged, 

 on equally good grounds, to swarm in close retreats, become 

 torpid, lethargic, and so hibernate. In fact, precisely the same 

 allegations are current in the cases of Swifts {Gypselidce). 

 These birds, so similar to Swallows in many respects, physical 

 and physiological, are perfectly well known and admitted to 

 nest habitually in close retreats — to nightly gather by thousands 

 in similar places, streaming in at dusk, and streaming out at 

 daylight — to swarm in myriads in hollow trees, and perish there 

 in such numbers that in time their remains form solid masses 

 of bones, feathers, excrement, and decayed soft tissues several 

 feet in thickness at the bottom. Again : the winter retreats of 

 some of the commonest Swifts are unknown. Our ordinary 

 Chimney Swift {Chwtura pelagica), unless I am greatly mistaken, 

 is not recorded as occurring anywhere beyond the United 

 States in winter. Nor is it a recognized inhabitant of any por- 

 tion of the United States in winter, except possibly along our 

 extreme southern border. Where does this bird go and stay in 

 winter*? I suppose that it hibernates in hollow trees, and 

 could give reasons for the supposition. 



As equally pertinent to this exceptional subject, I may allude 

 to the popular belief that the Common Rail, Sora, or so-called 

 Ortolan, Porzana Carolina, sinks in the mud and hibernates 

 with the frogs. So far as I am aware, this is a popular delu- 

 sion, taking its origin in the silence and celerity of the bird's 

 regular migrations, and the suddenness of its appearance and 

 disappearance. It seems to be a very weak-winged bird ; one 

 day it throngs the marshes, and the next there are none to 

 be found ; the hasty assumptions of ignorant and credulous 

 persons rest upon these premises ; and some visionaries go so 

 far as to assert, that the rails turn into frogs. As already 

 said, in this case I do not know that there is any acceptable 

 testimony on scientific record. 



The literature of the migrations and alleged hibernations of 



