398 OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 



the church and tower are very beautiful and amusing. When they 

 fly off together from the roof, on any alarm, they quite swarm in 

 the air. But they soon settle in heaps, and preening their feathers, 

 and lifting up their wings to admit the sun, seem highly to enjoy 

 the warm situation. Thus they spend the heat of the day preparing 

 for their emigration, and, as it were, consulting when and where 

 they are to go. The flight about the church seems to consist 

 chiefly of house-martins, about 400 in number; but there are 

 other places of rendezvous about the village frequented at the 

 same time. 



It is remarkable that though most of them sit an the battlements 

 and roof, yet many hang or cling for some time by their claws 

 against the surface of the walls, in a manner not practised by them 

 at any other time of their remaining with us. 



The swallows seem to delight more in holding their assemblies 

 on trees. . 



November 3, 1789. Two swallows were seen this morning at 

 Newton vicarage-house, hovering and settling on the roofs and 

 out-buildings. -None have been observed at Selborne since 

 October n. It is very remarkable, that after the hirundines have 

 disappeared for some weeks, a few are occasionally seen again ; 

 sometimes in the first week in November, and that only for one 

 day. Do they not withdraw and slumber in some hiding-place in 

 the interval ? For we cannot suppose they had emigrated to 

 warmer climes and so returned again for one day. Is it not more 

 probable that they are awakened from sleep, and, like the bats, are 

 come forth to collect a little food? Bats appear at all seasons 

 through the autumn and spring months, when the thermometer is 

 at 50, because then phalasnas and moths are stirring. 



These swallows looked like young ones. WHITE. 



Of their migration the proofs are such as will scarcely admit of a 

 doubt. Sir Charles Wager and Captain Wright saw vast flocks of 

 them at sea, when on their passage from one country to another. 

 Our author, Mr. White, saw what he deemed the actual migration 

 of these birds, and which he has described at p. 259 of his 

 " History of Selborne ; " and of their congregating together on the 

 roofs of churches and other buildings, and on trees, previous to 

 their departure, many instances occur ; particularly I once observed 

 a large stock of house-martins on the roof of the church here at 

 Catsfield, which acted exactly in the manner here described by Mr. 



