OF NATURE. 239 



that this species of hirando is to be seen 

 first of any ; and gives great reason to sup- 

 pose that they do not leave their wild 

 haunts at all, but are secreted amidst the 

 clefts and caverns of those abrupt cliffs 

 where they usually spend their Summers, 



The late severe weather considered, it 

 is not very probable that these birds should 

 have migrated so early from a tropical 

 region, through all these cutting winds 

 and pinching frosts : but it is easy to sup- 

 pose that they may, like bats and flies, 

 have been awakened by the influence of 

 the sun, amidst their secret latebrae, where 

 they have spent the uncomfortable foodless 

 months in a torpid state, and the pro- 

 foundest of slumbers. 



There is a large pond at Wish-hanger^ 

 which induces these sand-martins to fre- 

 quent that district. For I have ever re- 

 marked that they haunt near great waters, 

 either rivers or lakes. White. 



• Here, and in many other passages of his 

 writings, this very ingenious Naturalist fa- 



