SWALLOW. 215 



appear so much flitiguctl, that the SwalloAv is often only able 

 to fly from one end of the boat to the other, when an attempt 

 is made to seize it. The Swallow and Martin come either 

 singly or in small parties, and if they do not happen to be 

 our own residents, soon pass on to their accustomed haunts ; 

 so that after two or three have been seen, it may perhaps be 

 a fortnight before others make their appearance. In 1831 a 

 single Swallow was seen by a fisherman near the Eddystone 

 on the 4th of April; four were seen on the 13th at sea, 

 flying low, and making towards the land at three o'clock, 

 P.M. Two Martins were also seen on the 16th; but the 

 first of either of these that I saw was on the 19th. Swal- 

 lows and Martins continued to fly on board fishing-boats, 

 at the distance of ten leagues from land, through the Avhole 

 of INIay ; my last note of that circumstance being so late as 

 the 28th of that month. There are rarely more than two or 

 three in a company ; and considering that the Wheatear and 

 AVillow Warbler cross in safety, the state of fatigue in which 

 they are seen is remarkable. One man informs me that in 

 fine weather he has often seen them drop on the water, flat, 

 antl with wings expanded, and presently after fly off again, as 

 if refreshed. The fact of the Swallow settlins: on the sea 

 and flying up again, has been seen, also, and recorded by Mr. 

 Audubon. 



Tlie migration of Swallows and Martins being in a direc- 

 tion nearly due north and south, those referred to in the 

 extract from the communication of the Prince of Musignano, 

 had been driven by the gale from the east far to the west of 

 their true course. Bewick, in the introduction to his His- 

 tory of British Birds, says that an intelligent master of a 

 vessel told him, that whilst he was sailing early in the spring 

 between the islands of Minorca and Majorca, he saw great 

 numbers of Swallows flying northwards, many of which from 

 fatigue, alighted on the rigging of the ship in the evening. 



