398 OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS, 
the church and tower are very beautiful and amusing. When they 
fly off together from the roof, on any alarm, they quite swarm in 
the air. But they soon settle in heaps, and preening their feathers, 
and lifting up their wings to admit the sun, seem highly to enjoy 
the warm situation. Thus they spend the heat of the day preparing 
for their emigration, and, as it were, consulting when and where 
they are to go. The flight about the church seems to consist 
chiefly of house-martins, about 400 in number; but there are 
other places of rendezvous about the village frequented at the 
same time. 
It is remarkable that though most of them sit on the battlements 
and roof, yet many hang or cling for some time by their claws 
against the surface of the walls, in a manner not practised by them 
at any other time of their remaining with us. 
The swallows seem to delight more in holding their assemblies 
on trees. 
November 3, 1789. Two swallows were seen this morning at 
Newton vicarage-house, hovering and settling on the roofs and 
out-buildings. None have been observed at Selborne since 
October 11. It is very remarkable, that after the hirundines have 
disappeared for some weeks, a few are occasionally seen again ; 
sometimes in the first week in November, and that only for one 
day. Do they not withdraw and slumber in some hiding-place in 
the interval? For we cannot suppose they had emigrated to 
warmer climes and so returned again for one day. Is it not more 
probable that they are awakened from sleep, and, like the bats, are 
come forth to collect a little food? Bats appear at all seasons 
through the autumn and spring months, when the thermometer is 
at 50, because then phalzenze and moths are stirring. 
These swallows looked like young ones.— WHITE. 
Of their migration the proofs are such as will scarcely admit of a 
doubt. Sir Charles Wager and Captain Wright saw vast flocks of 
them at sea, when on their passage from one country to another. 
Our author, Mr. White, saw what he deemed the actual migration 
of these birds, and which he has described at p. 259 of his 
“ History of Selborne ;” and of their congregating together on the 
roofs of churches and other buildings, and on trees, previous to 
their departure, many instances occur ; particularly I once observed 
a large stock of house-martins on the roof of the church here at 
Catsfield, which acted exactly in the manner here described by Mr. 
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