loS Submerjion of Swallows in Autumn. 



River*, about fifty feet from the bank, in company with our 

 mutual friend Mr. Jacob Sebor. Our attention was attracted 

 by numerous flights of birds, which appeared to come acrofs- 

 the town from the eaftward, and defcend immediately into 

 the river. So Angular an appearance excited our particular 

 obfervation. We went out and flood cloic to the bank, and 

 then perceived that what we at fir it imagined to be black 

 birds were actually fwallows ; and that, as foon as the va- 

 rious flock? had cleared the houfes, and got directly over the 

 river, they plunged into the water and dlfappeared. This 

 was not confined to the vicinity o\' the piace where we flood, 

 but was the cafe as far as the eye could reach, up and down 

 the river, and continued without ceffation for nearly two 

 hours, when the clofing of the evening prevented our further 

 obfervation. 



" Aware of the importance of affording any additional 

 information on this long difputed queftion in the natural hif- 

 tory of the fwallow, I procured a telefcope, and watched at- 

 tentively many of the flocks from their firft appearance until 

 their immerfion, continuing my eye fixed upon the fpot long 

 enough to be fully convinced that not one of the birds re- 

 turned to the furface again. Indeed, one flock of about two 

 hundred birds plunged into the water within thirty yards of 

 us, and inftantly difappeared, without the leaft appearance 

 of oppofition that might be expected to arife from their na- 

 tural buoyancy; and at the fame time 'the vevening was fo 

 ferene, and the river fo unruffled, that no deception of our 

 fight could poffibly have occurred. 



" When, the birds firft came in view, after crofting the 

 town, their flight was eafy and natural ; but when they de- 

 scended near to the water thev appeared much agitated and 

 diftrefTed, flying in a confufed manner againft each other, as 



* The houfe of Mr. Pollock is fituated near the margin of the Hiidlbn* 

 about two hundred yard, from the battery- The river is about a mile and 

 a ha f wide, and from feven to nine fathoms deep, and runs with a ftrong 

 and rapid tide. Mr. Pollock does not recollect the ipecics of fwallow 

 which then difappcared. The barn fwallow (bhundo ruflica}, chimney 

 fwallow {hirundo pelafgia), the fand or bank martin {hirundo riparia), 

 and the purple martin (birur.do //.T/wr, vv), all frccucnt and build their habi- 

 cstlons in this cit; and its neighbourhood. 



if 



