HYBERNATION. 



391 



subjects have then lost their novelty, so that we do not 

 to readily perceive their absence. It is probable, how- 

 ever, that in their departure, a* well as their arrival, 

 each species ha* its particular period. 



The periods of arrival and departure, even in the 

 . species, do not always take place at exactly the 

 same day, or even month of the year. In different 

 year* these vary from one to four weeks, and evidently 

 depend on very obvious circumstances. The meanest 

 rustic, in regard to the summer birds of passage, is 

 aware, that cold weather prevents the arrival of these 

 mnenpiLcri of spring ; and that the early arrival of our 

 winter birds of passage indicates a proportionally early 

 winter. The same circumstances which retard our 

 summer visitants also check the progress of vegetation. 

 Hence, in all probability, we might be able to prognos- 

 ticate the arrival of these birds, by attending to the 

 time of the leafing or flowering of particular tree* or 

 plant*. As the state of vegetation depends on the tem- 

 perature of the season, and the life of insect* on the 

 state of vegetation, we may safely conclude, that the 

 movements of the phytivorous and insectivorous birds 

 must be dependant on these circumstances. 



i bestowed some attention on these connected 

 in hi* Calendar of Flora for Sweden ; 

 in that of England. Liniura* obser- 

 ved, that the swallow returned to Sweden when the 

 bird-cherry came into leaf, and when the wood-ane- 

 He alto found the arrival of the night- 



with the leafing of the elm. 

 ; say*,' that the swallow return* to Norfolk with 

 the leafing of the hasd, and the nightingale with the 

 leafing of the sycamore. It ha* also been observed, 

 that the cuckoo sings when the marsh-marigold blow*. 

 It would tend greatly to increase our knowledge of 

 this subject, were observations of this sort multiplied. 

 We earnestly recoaanmnd the subject to the attention 

 of the practical naturalist. 



Having Utus offered a few observations on the pe- 

 riod* of arrival and departure of migrating birds, let us 

 n jw enquire after Ike placet ftvm mhnce Mr* 



to mkick titty rttun. In doing this, it will be proper 

 to bestow some attention on those bird* whose migra- 

 tion* are only partial, and which merely shift from one 

 of the bland to another. The movements of these 

 within narrow bound*, are pro- 

 laws which with other spe- 

 migrations. 



In the inland district* of Scotland, the lapwing make* 

 its appamiiM about the end of February or the begin- 

 ning of March, and, after performing the purposes of 



rhe small mutacea from among the 

 sea. These bird* seldom however 

 remain all winter on the Scottish shore*, though they 

 are always to be found at that season on the southern 

 Fisafch shore*. In that part of the island they do not 

 jMtntnn MCA extensive nugntoocu, but ouiy with pro* 

 priety be wiMHitid aa resident bird*. The curlew 



Animalt 



which 

 Migrate. 



arrive* at the inland districts along with the lapwing, 

 and they depart in company about the beginning of 

 August. The curlew, however, remain* on the Scot- 

 tish shore* daring the winter. The oystercatcber, 

 though it breed* in Scotland, retire* to the English 

 shores during the winter, and join* those which have 

 remained there during the breeding season. The black- 

 beaded gull breed* both in England and Scotland ; but 

 it retires from the last mentioned country , while it con- 

 tinue! resident in the " 



From the examples quoted, it appears that some 

 birds, which are stationary in one district, are migra- 

 tory in another. But that which chiefly merits our 

 consideration is the circumstance of those birds, whose 

 annual migrations are confined to our own shores, for- 

 saking the high grounds when the purposes of incuba- 

 tion have been accomplished, and oeking for protec- 

 tion at a lower level, and in a warmer situation. When 

 these migrations become more extensive, they forsake 

 the bleak moors and shores of Scotland for the wanner 

 and more genial climate of England. Hence it hap- 

 pens, that some of our Scottish summer visitants come 

 from England, while some of the English winter vii- 

 tants come from Scotland : the summer birds of pas- 

 sage coming from the south, and the winter passengers 

 from the north. Do those birds, whose migration* are 

 more extensive, obey the same laws ? 



A* the summer birds of passage are more interesting Winter re- 

 to us, since they perform the great work of incubation * >n ''our 

 in our country, than the winter birds of passage, which J' 1 

 are the harbingers of storm* and cold, and only wait 

 the return of spring to take their leave of us, we will 

 endeavour to find out the winter residence of the for- 

 mer, before we attempt to discover the summer haunt* 

 of the latter. Natural history, it is true, is still in too 

 imperfect a state, to enable us to point out with cer- 

 tainty the retreats of those birds which vi-it us during 

 summer. Bu> enough appears to be known to enable 

 us to ascertain the laws by which these migrations are 

 regulated in a number of bird*, and as the points of re- 

 ambiance in the movements of the whole are nume- 

 rous, we can reason from analogy on safer grounds 

 with regard to the remainder. 



The swallow, about whose migrations so many idle SwaUovs. 

 tones hare been propagated and believed, depart* 

 from Scotland about the end of September, and from 

 England about the middle of October. In the latter 

 month M. Adanson observed them on the shores of 

 Africa after their migrations from Europe. IK- informs 

 us, however, that they do not build their nest* in that 

 country, but only come to spend the winter. I In- 

 nightingale depart* from England about the beginning 

 of October, and from the other part* of Europe about 

 the same period. During the winter season it i> found 

 in abundance in Lower Egypt among the thickest c 

 in different part* of the Delta. The birds do not I 

 in that country, and to the inhabitant* are merely win- 

 ter birds of passage. They arrive in autumn and dt. 

 part in spring, and at the time of migration an j... ;.t - 

 ful in the islands of the Archipelago, The ,,<uil is 

 another of our summer gueU, which ha* been traced 

 to Africa. A few indeed brave the winters oi 

 and in Portugal they appear to be stationary. Hut in 



autumn, and return 

 the same time from 

 part* of the continent of Europe, ami 

 and revisit in their migration* the shores of the Medi- 

 terranean, Sicily, and the islands of the Archipelago. 

 When speaking of this subject, the intelligent \\ il- 

 loughby add*, that " when he sailed from Uhode* to 

 Alexandria in Egypt, many quails from the north to- 

 wards the south were taken in our ihip ; whence I am 

 verily persuaded that they shift places : for formerly 

 also, when I sailed out of the isle of /ant to More*, or 

 Negropont, in the spring time, I had observed quails 

 flying the contrary way, from south to north, that they 

 might abide there all summer. At which time also 

 there were a great many taken in our ship." Untitk. 

 p. 170. 



and m Portugal they appear to be 

 ganiril they leave thai country in 

 in spring. They migrate about t 

 the eaaUrn part* of the continent 



