292 BIRDS AND MAN 



made recently by a young English naturalist abroad, 

 that a small species of swallow in a temperate country 

 in the Southern Hemisphere shelters itself under the 

 , thick matted grass, and remains torpid during spells 

 of cold weather. We have now a magnificent mono- 

 graph of the swallows, and it is there stated of the 

 purple martin, an American species, that in some 

 years bitter cold weather succeeds its arrival in early 

 spring in Canada ; that at such times the birds 

 take refuge in their nesting holes and lie huddled 

 together in a semi-torpid state, sometimes for a 

 week or ten days, until the return of genial weather, 

 when they revive and appear as full of life and vigour 

 as before. It is said that these and other swallows 

 are possessed of habits and powers of which we have 

 as yet but slight knowledge. Candour would compel 

 me to add that the author of the monograph in 

 question, who is one of the first living ornithologists, 

 is inclined to believe that some swallows in some 

 circumstances do hibernate. 



At this I should experience a curious and almost 

 startling sensation, as if the airy hands of my in- 

 visible companion had been clapped together, and 

 the clap had been followed by an exclamation a 

 triumphant " Ah ! " 



Then there would be much to say concerning the 



