MIGRATION. 261 



the opening- of the nest-holes in the operations of 

 ([Harrying, and never knew or heard of a swallow 

 being; found there either torpid or otherwise*. "In 

 October 1810," says Forster, " I opened several 

 sand-martins' holes near Dorking in Surry, and 

 found in one of them a variety of very small bony 

 substances which might be part of large insects mixed 

 with dirtf." 



" A gentleman, '' says White, 4C who was this week 

 (March 23) on a visit at Waverly, took the oppor- 

 tunity of examining some of the holes in the sand- 

 banks, with which that district abounds. As these 

 are undoubtedly bored by bank-martins, and are the 

 places where they avowedly breed, he was in hopes 

 they might have slept there also, and that he might 

 have surprised them just as they were awaking from 

 their winter slumbers. When he had dug for some 

 time, he found the holes were horizontal and serpen- 

 tine, as I had observed before ; and that the nests 

 were deposited at the inner end, and had been occu- 

 pied 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 J.'' 



Similar legends to those we have quoted respecting 

 torpid swallows have been related respecting other 

 migratory birds, such as the cuckoo. Some affirm 

 that the cuckoo hides itself and remains dormant 

 during winter, and it has accordingly been reported 

 that cuckoos have been discovered in the midst of 

 winter not only in holes of trees, but under ground, 

 in sandy soils, or in caverns of rocks, antique build- 

 ings, and old walls. Others pretend that they have 

 been found in wheat and hay-stacks, and after car- 



* J. R. t Brumal Retreat, p. 24, note, 6th edit. 



$ Seiborne, p. 347. 



