44 PROCEEDINGS OE THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



"empty nests." In September, 1781, with reference to 

 another species, viz. the house martin, he says : " In some 

 " former letter I expressed my suspicions that many of 

 " the house martins do not depart in the winter tar from 

 "your village. I determined to make some search ahout 

 " the S.E. end of the hill, where 1 imagined they might 

 "slumber out the uncomfortable months of winter. But 

 " sup])Osing that the examination would best be made in 

 "the spring, and observing that no martins had api)earefl 

 "by the nth Aj)ril, I emj)loved some men to explore 

 " the shrubs and cavities of the selected spot. The 

 " persons took pains, but without any success." With 

 reference to swifts, which are the first to leave our 

 country, as thev arc the la.st to arrive, Gilbert White 

 states that the swifts left ahout the 1st day in August — all 

 save one pair — which in two or three day's time was 

 reduced to one individual. This one was watched till 

 August 24th, and then it was found that this — which was 

 the mother bird — was looking after two young ones, 

 which Ijy that time were fledged, and they were seen 

 until the 27th; but, on the 31st, on examination, it was 

 found that the ne.st only contained two stinking swifts. 

 Reverting subsequently to the case of the sand martins, 

 Gilbert White seems to be his own witness against his 

 theory that some swallows hibernate, for if any species 

 would be more likely to do so than others I should judge 

 the sand or bank martin to be that one, seeing what a 

 warm nesting place it has. Now in March, 1788, oppor- 

 tunity was taken to examine some of the holes in the 

 banks, where that species of bird congregated. The 

 investigator hoped that they might have slept there, and 

 that he might come upon them just before they awoke 

 from their winter slumbers. He dug with some diligence 

 and perseverance into the bank. He found the nests at 

 the end of the canal as was to be expected, they had 

 evidentlv been occupied, but no l)irds were to be found. 



