SWALLOWS. 43 



Again, about half a dozen Swallows were found 

 a few years ago, in a torpid state, in the trunk of a 

 hollow tree, Ly 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 Raiisa, 

 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 migratory Summer birds. A farmer at Aiker- 

 ness, 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 Sum- 

 mer, 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 situa- 

 tion. 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 



