44 



hollow trunks of trees in winter*'; and it is 

 remarkable there are three islands over against 

 Mount Taurus, called by the ancients p^AiM/iai, 

 and a promontory called p^xJoHoi/; because swal- 

 lows were supposed to hide themselves there in 

 winter f. The west wind likewise, from blowing 

 in the spring, about the time of the swallow's 

 arrival, was denominated Chelidonian J. 



I now come to the opinion of more modern 

 writers on this subject, who seem to have been 

 as undetermined with respect to the winter retreat 

 of the swallow, as the ancients. 



* Vel qualis gelidis plumd labente pruinis 

 Arboris inmoritur trunco brumalis hirundo. 



Claud, in Eutrop. 



There is a curious Latin hexameter poem, published many 

 years ago in Holland, on the occasion of a swallow being found 

 in a hollow tree ; a copy of which is in the library of Sir 

 Joseph Banks. 



t Quae contra tauri promontoriurn importunae nauigantibus 

 obiacent, Chelidoniae nominantur. Pomp. Mela, de Situ 

 Orbis, ii. 9. 27. 



J Oppian calls the swallow, 



And Horace solicits the return of his friend, 



Cum zephyris, si concedes, et hirundine prima. 



