M. Necker on the Birds of Geneva. 360 



from five to seven minutes, heard a confused grinding, tremu- 

 lous noise, affecting the ship in every part. It crazed, and 

 the ship was instantly hoved too, and we sounded with ninety 

 fathoms of line up and down, but no ground. By this time 

 it was perfectly day-light, the sea not in the least confused, 

 nor could we perceive the smallest appearance of any thing 

 which had occasioned it. The ship was not felt to strike 

 once. She kept perfectly upright, held her way through the 

 water, and answered her helm ; nor does she make any water 

 in consequence of the shock received. These circumstances 

 make us at a Joss to account for it in any other manner than 

 attribute it to some violent convulsion of nature. Draught 

 of water forward eight feet, and aft ten feet six inches. Lat. 

 7 e 58' S. Long., reduced from an observation of the sun and 

 moon on the 1st instant, 87*, 39 E. 



Art. XVI. Abstract of a Memoir on the Birds in the En- 

 virons of Geneva, by L. A. Necker. With Observations, 

 by a Correspondent. * 



This interesting memoir was drawn up with the view of 

 forming an Ornithological Calendar, to show the different 

 periods of the year when the migratory birds of the canton of 

 Geneva appeared and disappeared. The facts related are, 

 M . Necker states, the result of his own continued observation 

 for upwards of twenty years ; and to these have been added, 

 others communicated by scientific friends, and information 

 derived from sportsmen, and from fowlers by profession. This 

 curious subject, though illustrated in a great measure by the 

 incidental notices of travellers, and the relations contained in 

 the works of ornithological writers, wants the continued ob- 

 servations of scientific men fully to explain the economy of 

 nature in this wonderful particular. From swallows being 

 sometimes fo ind torpid after the usual period of their 

 migration, it was believed by many naturalists, that, in 



* Sec M.moires dc la Sociite dt Ph>,*iqur ft d'Hist. Nat. dc Geneve, 

 Tom. ii. p- 29. 



