The Natural History of Selborne 417 



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 remarked that 

 they haunt near great waters, either rivers or lakes. WHITE. 



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

 ingenious naturalist savours 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 

 induces Mr. White to suppose that some of these hirundines lie 

 torpid during winter. I have seen so late as November, 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 considerable number either of swallows 

 or martins for a considerable time before ; 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 appearance, long 

 before the generality of them are seen. These appearances certainly 

 favour the opinion of their passing the winter in a torpid state, but 

 do not absolutely prove the fact ; for who ever saw them reviving of 

 their own accord from their torpid state, without being first brought 

 to the fire, and as it were forced into life again ? soon after which 

 revivification they constantly die. MARK WICK. 



2 D 



