TORPIDITY OF SWALLOWS. 243 



LETTER LXXVIII. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, Nov. 22, 1777- 

 DEAR SIR, 



You cannot but remember, that the twenty- 

 sixth and twenty- seventh of last March were very 

 hot days ; so sultry, that every body complained, and 

 were restless under those sensations to which they 

 had not been reconciled by gradual approaches. 



This sudden summer-like heat was attended by 

 many summer coincidences ; for, on those two days, 

 the thermometer rose to sixty- six in the shade ; 

 many species of insects revived and came forth ; 

 some bees swarmed in this neighbourhood ; the old 

 tortoise, near Lewes, awakened, and came forth out 

 of its dormitory : and, what is most to my present 

 purpose, many house -swallows appeared, and were 

 very alert in many places, and particularly at Cob- 

 ham, in Surrey. 



But as that short warm period was succeeded as 

 well as preceded by harsh, severe weather, with fre- 

 quent frosts and ice, and cutting winds, the insects 

 withdrew, the tortoise retired again into the ground, 

 and the swallows were seen no more until the tenth 

 of April, when the rigour of the spring abating, a 

 softer season began to prevail. 



Again, it appears by my journals for many years 

 past, that house-martins retire, to a bird, about the 

 beginning of October ; so that a person not very 

 observant of such matters would conclude that they 

 had taken their last farewell ; but then it may be 

 seen in my diaries, also, that considerable flocks 

 have discovered themselves again in the first week 

 R 2 



