OF NATURE. II.; 



April 9, 1793. A sober hind assures us, that this day, on 



Wish-hanger common between Hedleigh and Frinsham, he 



saw several bank-martins playing in and out, and hanging 



before some nest holes in a sand-hill, where these birds usually 



nestle. 



This incident confirms my suspicions that this species of 

 hirundo is to be seen first of any ; and gives great reason to 

 suppose that they do not leave their wild haunts at all, but are 

 secreted amidst the clefts and caverns of those abrupt cliffs 

 where they usually spend their summers. 



The late severe weather considered, it is not very probable 

 that these birds should have migrated so early from a tropical 

 region, through all these cutting winds and pinching frosts : 

 but it is easy to suppose that they may, like bats and flies, 

 have been awakened by the influence of the sun, amidst their 

 secret latebrae, where they have spent the uncomfortable 

 foodless months in a torpid state, and the profoundest of 

 slumbers. 



There is a large pond at Wish-hanger, which induces these 

 sand-martins to frequent that district. For I have ever re- 

 marked that they haunt near great waters, either rivers or 

 lakes. WHITE. 



Here, and in many other paseages of his writings, this very 

 ingenious Naturalist favours the opinion that part at least of 

 the swallow tribe pass their winter in a torpid state in the same 

 manner as bats and flies, and revive again on the approach of 

 spring. 



I have frequently taken notice of all these circumstances, 

 which induced Mr. White to suppose that some of the hir un- 

 dines lie torpid during winter. I have seen, so late as Novem- 

 ber, on a finer day than usual at that season of the year, two 

 or three swallows flying backwards and forwards under a warm 

 hedge, or on the sunny side of some old building ; nay I once 

 saw on the 8th of December two martins flying about very 

 briskly, the weather being mild. I had not seen any consi- 

 derable number either of swallows or martins for a considera- 

 ble time before; from whence then could these birds come, it' 



