SWALLOW. 155 



congregating about the Headland preparatory to their long 

 journey.* 



The Swallow is generally diffused in the county and ascends 

 into the highest parts of the dales, being known to breed 

 in Nidderdale to 1150 feet, and to 2000 feet elevation in 

 Teesdale ; in Arkengarthdale odd pairs nest in the shepherds' 

 huts on the moors ; I have also known a nest in the shooting 

 house on Swainby Moor, and, while grouse shooting, have 

 seen birds hawking for insects about the moors. In the 

 Harrogate neighbourhood its numbers had considerably 

 decreased a few years ago, but it appears to be regaining 

 ground, though it is to be feared that, generally speaking, 

 it is not so plentiful in the county as formerly. In some 

 seasons, owing probably to severe weather, it is less abundant 

 than in other years ; this was the case in 1901, as testified 

 by several writers, notably James Carter {Field, 25th May 

 1901), and on 12th and 13th May 1886, after the bulk of the 

 late comers had appeared, a spell of cold wintry weather, 

 with heavy snow and gales of wind, caused terrible mortality 

 amongst their ranks ; thousands perished of cold and want 

 of food, many being picked up in a famished and dying 

 condition {Nat. 1886, p. 182). 



Swallows have often been observed hawking for insects 

 several miles distant from land, both off the Cleveland coast 

 and in the Humber district. 



The ancient myth respecting birds of this family hibernating 

 at the bottom of ponds and rivers dies hard in the remote 

 dales, but Pennant (Vol. iv., pp. 13, 14), related an instance 

 of probable hibernation, several bushels — full of birds in a 

 torpid state being found in a cliff at Whitby while digging 

 out a fox ; and in mid-winter, about 1850, some twenty 

 Swallows were discovered inside an old tree, cracked with 

 age, that was cut down on Lord Feversham's estate near 



* In this connection the Migration Reports furnish plenteous 

 evidence concerning Yorkshire, the entries being, however, too 

 voluminous to be given in detail ; and for a concise account of the 

 migration of the Swallow the student is referred to Mr. W. Eagle 

 Clarke's report, read at the British Association meeting at Glasgow, 1901 . 



