190 FIRST APPEARANCES OF BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



birds build their nest every spring in the ' dungeon ' of the mill race, 

 under the garden of the flour mill, opposite our house, and five or six 

 years ago, I got a youth of seventeen named George Coombs who had 

 an Al camera to go into and along the Dungeon (the water was only 

 six inches deep) with me one day, and with the light of magnesium wire 

 he took a photo of the nest (which had two nearly full-fledged young 

 Dippers in it) which was placed on a projecting brick of the wall about 

 3 feet above the water, and about six yards from the entrance of the 

 dungeon." 



Muscicapa grisola (The Spotted Fly-catcher). An albino 

 was seen in Major Devenish's grounds at Springfield, Rodwell, 

 Wey mouth, in company with typical individuals with which 

 it agreed exactly in habits and mode of life, so I don't think 

 there can be any question of its identity. It was accidentally 

 killed in the neighbourhood afterwards. (N.M.R.) 



Glivicola riparia (The Sand Martin). An albino was seen 

 on the Fro me, Dorchester Fishing Club Upper Water, 

 September 12th. (G.R.P.) 



Hirundo rustica and Chelidon urbica (The House Martin). 

 There seems to be no doubt that one or other, possibly both, 

 of these birds were observed in January at Upwey. Members 

 of the Club will no doubt agree with me that the weight of 

 evidence favours the Barn Swallow rather than the House 

 Martin. I give below a short resume of the evidence of the 

 observers, so that every person can form an independent 

 judgment. As to explanation, Colonel Mainwaring suggests 

 re migration or hibernation. I think neither suggestion 

 quite meets the facts. Hibernation in its strict sense of a 

 period of winter quiescence, during which functions are 

 suspended in part, is not known to exist amongst the 

 Hirundinidae, nor so far as I know in any other bird. I incline 

 to the belief that the bird or birds seen were a very late brood, 

 not strong enough to migrate with the general body, which 

 were wandering about in an aimless way at a time when the 

 migrating instinct would be quiescent ; this, of course, is 

 surmise, but surmise which would fit in with most of the 

 known facts as to the migration of swallows, which neither 

 remigration nor hibernation would do. The matter arose in 



