NATURALISTS HAVE CAPACIOUS SWALLOWS. 35? 



must look upon the swallow, even as regards Sweden, as a 

 migratory bird." 



So late, indeed, as the year 1849, this subject was brought 

 before the Academy of Sciences at Stockholm ; and the follow- 

 ing document, which, coming from the quarter it did, was 

 by some looked upon as irrefragable proof of the truth of 

 this strange story, was submitted to and gravely discussed 

 by that learned body. 



"August 16, 1849. 



" Near to the estate of Kafvelas, in the province of West- 

 gothland, there is a little lake called Djupasjon, where, on 

 several occasions in the winter time, when the ice-net has 

 been drawn, stelnade, or stiffened, swallows have been brought 

 up from the bottom in my presence. My father, then 

 Inspector at Kafvelas, who was also present, directed me 

 to take some of them home, and place them on a chair, 

 at some little distance from the fire. This I did, and 

 to my great astonishment I soon observed the birds to 

 withdraw their heads from under the wings, where they 

 had been previously placed, and in a few moments to 

 fly about the room. But as this was not the proper 

 season for their quickening, they lived but a short time 

 afterwards. 



(Signed) " H. J. EDBERG, Rector." 



The subject-matter of this letter was well handled by Pro- 

 fessor Sundevall, who altogether repudiated this idle notion, 

 and suggested that several circumstances might have origi- 

 nated the delusion. 



" That we may not altogether overlook the known phe- 



