1 88 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



them upon the Houses, or Banks, or Rivers ; but a very 

 few that came later out of the Waters, or from other 

 Parts, which by Nature come flying thither, to repair 

 their Issue. Winter being fully ended in May; For 

 Husband-Men, from their Nests, built higher or lower, 

 take their Prognostications, whether they shall sowe in 

 Valleys, or Mountains or Hills, according as the Rain 

 shall increase or diminish. Also the Inhabitants hold 

 it an ill sign, if the Swallows refuse to build upon their 

 houses ; for they fear those House-tops are ready to fall." 



This is proper, and good, and what we might expect 

 from Olaus Magnus ; but it is somewhat singular to see, 

 printed in Notes and Queries for October 22, 1864, the 

 following : 



" The Duke de R related to me, a few days ago, 



that in Sweden, the swallows, as soon as the winter 

 begins to approach, plunge themselves into the lakes, 

 where they remain asleep and hidden under the ice till 

 the return of the summer ; when, revived by the new 

 warmth, they come out from the water, and fly away as 

 formerly. While the lakes are frozen, if somebody will 

 break the ice in those parts where it appears darker 

 than in the rest, he will find masses of swallows cold, 

 asleep, and half dead ; which, by taking out of their 

 retreat, and warming, he will see gradually to vivify 

 again and fly. 



" In other countries they retire very often to the 

 Caverns, under the rocks. As many of these exist 

 between the City of Caen, and the Sea, on the banks of 

 the river Orne, there are found sometimes, during the 

 winter, piles of swallows suspended in these vaults, like 

 bundles of grapes. I witnessed the same thing, myself, 

 in Italy ; where, as well as in France, it is considered 



