SWALLOWS. 241 



stance, were exposed to cold at or near the freezing-point, sleep 

 might overcome them, just as it does travellers who have been 

 accidentally exposed to the inclemency of the weather : on 

 becoming benumbed we know that drowsiness commences, 

 which, if not shaken off by active exertion, inevitably ends in 

 death. If man is subject to this effect as well as some animals, 

 why may not Swallows ? Two of these birds were, a summei 

 or two ago, caught, and placed for twenty-four hours in a cage 

 suspended in an ice-house ; at the expiration of this time one 

 was found dead but the other was alive, and, when released, 

 flew away in perfect vigour. In this case, therefore, nothing 

 was learned from the experiment. But the constitution of the, 

 bird may be different towards the close of the season, and 

 better prepared for a winter's sleep : and that this, to a certain 

 degree, is the case, may be collected from the following state- 

 ment : 



"On the 22d of September, at about seven o'clock in the morning, 

 with a drizzling cold rain, and wind easterly, a vast number ot 

 Chimney- Swallows were observed hovering over or resting on a 

 house, in the south of England ; in the course of the morning, large 

 flocks continued to join this main body. The appearance of the 

 whole was, however, very lethargic and moping ; and so tame were 

 many, that they were taken by hand from the window-sills on which 

 they had perched. For experiment's sake, our informant put his 

 arm out of an attic-story window, and in a short time one of them 

 settled on his hand ; he withdrew it, expecting the bird would fly 

 off, but there it remained, giving him ample time to examine it 

 more narrowly. Its eyes appeared nearly shut, its wings and tail 

 drooping, and its whole frame in a torpid state. Finding some force 

 necessary to take it from his hand, he had the curiosity to whirl it 

 round several times, but to no purpose, the only exertion the bird 

 used being a languid expansion of the wings for preserving its seat, 

 which it did by grasping its claws so firmly as to draw blood from 

 the hand. In the course of the day he collected twenty, confining 

 them at large in a room. 



"On their first introduction they perched themselves on various 

 parts, and appeared as languid as their neighbours out of doors. In 

 a short time, one, which had placed itself on the mantelpiece, near 

 a small fire, was observed to become more lively, moving its head 

 with a good deal of animation, and seeming to enjoy the warmth. 

 On this the fire was increased, and the air in the room considerably 

 warmed ; on which the little prisoners soon became more sprightly, 



Q 



