49 



be a fatal period to their existence. The cases 

 of the discovery and revival of such torpid swal- 

 lows are surely interesting; and future investiga- 

 tions may, perhaps, throw some light on the 

 destiny of those left undisturbed. 



It is to be hoped, that the increasing know- 

 ledge of the Linnaean classification will produce, 

 in future, a more explicit description of the par- 

 ticular species, when any cases of the kind are 

 published, and that persons who may meet with 

 them will communicate them through the medium 

 of the Philosophical Magazine, or some other of 

 the public prints. The subject certainly deserves 

 the accurate attention of the students of natural 

 history. 



It may be said, that some of the passages 

 cited in this work may relate to species of the 

 swallow which are not found in Great Britain. 

 That this is seldom, if ever, the case, I am per- 

 suaded ; not only because our four species also 

 inhabit Italy and Greece, but because few of the 

 other species of this genus are found in those 

 countries in which the authors lived whose works 

 have been cited. 



