244 CORNCRAKES. 



the following year the tree was cut down, the hollow was 

 then found to be about six feet in diameter, and filled, six 

 inches deep, with bones, feathers, and other remains of dead 

 birds, such, probably, as were too old or too feeble to fly out 

 in the Spring. They apparently must have occupied the 

 tree for several years. Two other trees were subsequently 

 seen, fallen, with similar appearances.* 



Again, about half a dozen Swallows were found a few 

 years ago, in a torpid state, in the trunk of a hollow tree, by 

 a countryman, who brought them to a respectable person, by 

 whom they were deposited in a desk, where they remained 

 forgotten till the following Spring, when, one morning, on 

 hearing a noise, he opened the desk, and found one of them 

 fluttering about : the others also began to show signs of life, 

 and, upon being placed out of doors in the sun, speedily 

 arranged their plumage, took wing, and disappeared. 



On the 2nd of November, 1829, at Loch Eansa, in the 

 Island of Arran, a man, while digging in a place where a 

 pond had been lately drained off, discovered two Swallows 

 in a state of torpor : on placing them near the fire, they 

 recovered. One unfortunately escaped, but the other was 

 kept by the man for the purpose of showing it to some 

 scientific persons. 



In addition to these cases relating to Swallows, we have 

 two instances of dormant Corncrakes, which are also migra- 

 tory Summer birds. A farmer at Aikerness, in Orkney, 

 about mid-winter, in demolishing a mud wall, there called 

 a hill-dike, found a Corncrake in the midst of it, a bird 

 which is plentiful in summer, but departs, like Swallows, 

 at the close of that season. It was apparently lifeless ; but, 

 being fresh to the feel and smell, it was placed in a warm 

 situation. In a short time it began to move, and in a few 

 hours was able to walk about, and lived for two days in the 

 kitchen ; but, refusing all food, it died. 



The other occurred at Monaghan, in Ireland, where a 

 gentleman, having directed his labourers, in Winter, to 



* Phil. Mag., vol. L. p. 317. 



