240 CORNCRAKES. 



unfortunately escaped, but the other was kept by the man for 

 the purpose of showing it to some scientific persons. 



In addition to these cases relating to Swallows, we have two 

 instances of dormant Corncrakes, which are also migratory 

 summer birds. A farmer at Aikerness, in Orkney, about mid- 

 winter, in demolishing a mud-wall, there called a hill-dyke, 

 found a Corncrake in the midst of it a bird which is plentiful 

 in summer, but departs, like Swallows, at the close of that 

 season. It was apparently lifeless; but, being fresh to the 

 feel and smell, it was placed in a warm situation. In a short 

 time it began to move, and, in a few hours, was able to walk 

 about, and lived for two days in the kitchen ; but, refusing all 

 food, it died. 



The other occurred at Monaghan, in Ireland, where a gentle- 

 man, having directed his labourers, in winter, to remove a large 

 heap of manure that had remained undisturbed for a great 

 length of time, perceived a hole, which was supposed to have 

 been made by rats ; it penetrated to a great depth, but, at its 

 termination, instead of rats, three Corncrakes were discovered, 

 as if placed there with the greatest care, not a feather being 

 out of its place, and apparently lifeless. The birds, on exami- 

 nation, were, however, considered to be in a torpid state, and 

 were placed near a fire in a warm room. In the course of a 

 short time a tremulous motion was observed in one of their 

 legs, and soon after a similar motion was noticed in the legs 

 and wings of the whole, which at length extended itself to 

 their whole bodies, and, finally, the birds were enabled to run 

 and fly about the room. * 



Humming-birds also, we are assured, are sometimes over- 

 taken by cold, and have been known to fall into a torpid 

 state, f 



It has been argued that, as some animals, such as the bear, 

 dormouse, &c., are subject to long seasons of torpidity, during 

 which time they require no food, Swallows may, in like man- 

 ner, continue in a torpid slumbering state throughout the 

 winter. A few experiments, carefully attended to, might 

 throw additional light upon the subject. If Swallows, for in- 

 * Ed. Journ., vol. viii. ' t Phil. Mag., vol. xxii. 



