348 WHITE 



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 

 latebrse, where they have spent the uncomfortable, foodless 

 months in a torpid state and the profoundest of slumbers. 



There is a large pond at Wishhanger, 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 passages of his writings, this very 

 ingenious naturalist savors 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 these hirun- 

 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 December two martins flying about very briskly, 

 the weather being mild. I had not seen any considerable num- 

 ber either of swallows or martins for a considerable time be- 

 fore ; from whence, then, could these few birds come, if not 

 from some hole or cavern where they had laid themselves up 

 for the winter ? Surely it will not be asserted that these birds 

 migrate back again from some distant tropical region, merely 

 on the appearance of a fine day or two, at this late season 

 of the year. Again, very early in the spring, and sometimes 

 immediately after very cold severe weather, on its growing a 

 little warmer, a few of these birds suddenly make their appear- 

 ance, long before the generality of them are seen. These 

 appearances certainly favor the opinion of their passing the 

 winter in a torpid state, but do not absolutely prove the fact ; 



