43 



scarcely, as far as I know, definite notice even of the rate 

 of flight. What do you suppose it is? We are a2)t to 

 think of the migration of a swallow, as we should our- 

 selves of a serious journey. How long, do you think, it 

 woukl take him, if he flew uninterruptedly, to get from 

 here to Africa? 



48. Michelet gives the rate of his flight (at full speed, 

 of course,) as eighty leagues an hour. I find no more 

 sound authority ; but do not doubt his approximate 

 accuracy; '^ still how curious and how provoking it is tliat 

 neither Wliite of Selborne, Bewick, Yarrell, nor Gonld, 

 says a word about this, one should have thought the most 

 interesting, power of the bird.f 



Taking Michelet's estimate — eighty French leagues, 

 roughly two hundred and fifty miles, an hour — we have a 

 thousand miles in four hours. That is to say, leaving 

 Devonshire after an early breakfast, he could be in Africa 

 to lunch. 



49. lie could, I say, if his flight were constant ; but 

 though there is much inconsistency in the accounts, the 

 sum of testimony seems definite that the swallow is among 

 the most fatiguable of birds. " When the weather is 



* I wrote this some time ago, and the endeavour I have since made 

 to verify statements on points of natural history which I had taken on 

 trust have given me reason to doubt everybody's accuracy. The 

 ordinary flight of the swallow does "not, assuredlj^ even in the dashes, 

 reach anything like this speed. 



f Incidentally suggestive sentences occur in the history of Selborne, 

 but its author never comes to the point, in this case. 



