ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND. 291 



soon afterwards but few of those insects remained . 

 In the evening they would roost on the rigging; 

 and some even took refuge for the night in the 

 chief officer's cabin, which opened upon the 

 deck, and were again set at liberty in the morn- 

 ing. They became after a few days exhausted ; 

 several were found dead, and others became so 

 tame from fatigue and hunger, as to be easily 

 caught, and would afterwards remain perched 

 on the hand, without making any effort to regain 

 their liberty. These were also of the species 

 Hirundo rustica of Linnaeus, which is widely 

 distributed over the globe. We first observed 

 them in latitude 15° 29' north, and longitude 

 117" 40' east ; and we lost them, most having 

 perished, in latitude 9" 30' north, longitude 

 110° 45' east, having been about the ship for 

 thirteen days. 



The question that arises is, whether in tlie 

 latter instances they were emigrating, or had 

 been blown off the land by the westerly gales we 

 had experienced since leaving Manilla Bay. It 

 may be mentioned, that as we had at the same 

 time numerous other land birds about the ship, 

 the latter supposition is not improbable. 



After having been detained for several days by 

 easterly winds, on the 29th of April we had fair 



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