276 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



some time, he found the holes were horizontal and serpentine, as 

 I had observed before : and that the nests were deposited at the 

 inner end, and had been occupied by broods in former summers, 

 but no torpid birds were to be found. He opened and examined 

 about a dozen holes. Another gentleman made the same search 

 many years ago, with as little success. These holes were in 

 depth about two feet. 



March 21, 1790. A single bank or sand martin was seen 

 hovering and playing round the sand-pit at Short Heath, where 

 in the summer they abound. 



April 9, 1793. A sober hind assures us, that this 

 Wish-hanger common between Hedleigh and Frinsham, he saw 

 several bank- martins playing in and out, and hanging before 

 some nest-holes in a sand-hill, where these birds usually nestle. 



This incident confirms my suspicions that this species of 

 hirundo is to be seen first of any ; and gives great reason to sup- 

 pose that they do not leave their wild haunts at all, but 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 latebrae, 

 where they have spent the uncomfortable foodless months in a 

 torpid state, and the profoundest of slumbers. 



There is a large pond at Wish-hanger, which induces these 

 sand-martins to frequent that district. For I have ever remarked 

 that they haunt near great waters, either rivers or lakes.* 



* Here, and in many other passages of his writings, this very ingenious naturalist favours the 

 opinion that part at least of the swallow tribe pass their winter in a torpid state in the same 

 manner as hats and flies, and revive again on the approach of spring. 



1 have frequently taken notice of all these circumstances, which induced Mr. White to suppose 

 that some of the hirundines lie torpid during winter. 1 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 for- 

 wards under a warm hedge, or on the sunny side of some old building; nay I once saw on the 

 Sth 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 appear- 

 ance, 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. 



