GO ANTES ON HYBERNATION OF SWALLOWS. 



was filled with wet mud and leaves. The labourers followed 

 my level, and dug the trench. On getting into the hollow 

 or pond, I observed that they threw up the body of a swal- 

 low. I took it up, muddy as it was, and having washed it in 

 the water, I put it into my pocket. In a few hours I return- 

 ed to the house of Mr. Stettler, took the swallow and placed 

 it upon the wall of the stove, which was just warm. While 

 we were taking some refreshments, we were surprised by the 

 chirping of the bird, which soon afterwards was flying about 

 the room, catching flies, and alighting from lime to time upon 

 the furniture. From the time of laying it on the stove, to the 

 moment of its revival, was not more, I think, than about a 

 quarter of an hour. Mr. Stettler kept the shallow in his house 

 till the weather became warm, and the swallows began gene- 

 rally to appear : he then gave it its liberty. 



The stream, which was the object of my business with 

 Mr. Stettler, was dry during the summer; but after a heavy 

 rain during the winter, and often during the summer, it flow- 

 ed over into the hollow, carrying into it the leaves and mud 

 which I found there, but did not flow through it. It had 

 been a very mild winter; — the swallow was buried perhaps a 

 foot, for the trench was no deeper; but it was certainly buried 

 below the frost. I did not observe in that place any other 

 swallows, the trench was narrow, and was carried near the 

 edge of the pond. I have many times since that period, seen 

 the swallows turned up out of the mud early in the spring; 

 although the particulars. of these instances, are not so clearly 

 impressed upon my recollection. I have also often seen swal- 

 lows, especially martins, creep under the roots of trees on the 

 margin of creeks ; 1 have then sought for them without suc- 

 cess, and believe that they were retiring for the winter. 



FREDERICK ANTES. 



