420 BARN SWALLOW. 



were the countries to the south of the gulf of Mexico, and as 

 far south as the great river Maranon, visited and explored by a 

 competent naturalist, these regions would be found to be the 

 winter rendezvous of the very birds now before us, and most 

 of our other migratory tribes. 



In a small volume which I have lately met with, entitled 

 " An Account of the British settlement of Honduras," by cap- 

 tain George Henderson, of the 5th West India regiment, pub- 

 lished in London in 1809, the writer, in treating of that part 

 of its natural history which relates to birds, gives the following 

 particulars. " Myriads of Swallows," says he, " are also the 

 occasional inhabitants of Honduras. The time of their residence 

 is generally confined to the period of the rains, [that is from 

 October to February] after which they totally disappear. There 

 is something remarkably curious and deserving of notice in the 

 ascent of these birds. As soon as the dawn appears they quit 

 their place of rest, which is usually chosen amid the rushes of 

 some watery savanna; and invariably rise to a certain height, in 

 a compact spiral from, and which at a distance often occasions 

 them to be taken for an immense column of smoke. This at- 

 tained, they are then seen separately to disperse in search of 

 food, the occupation of their day. To those who may have had 

 the opportunity of observing the phenomenon of a water spout, 

 the similarity of evolution, in the ascent of these birds, will 

 be thought surprisingly striking. The descent, which regularly 

 takes place at sun-set, is conducted much in the same way; but 

 with inconceivable rapidity: and the noise which accompanies 

 this can only be compared to the falling of an immense torrent; 

 or the rushing of a violent gust of wind. Indeed, to an observ- 

 er it seems wonderful, that thousands of these birds are not de- 

 stroyed, in being thus propelled to the earth with such irresisti- 

 ble force."* 



How devoutly it is to be wished that the natural history of 

 those regions were more precisely known! So absolutely ne- 



* Henderson's Honduras, p. \ 19. 



