144 'April 1749* 



Swallows made their nefts, before the 

 Europeans fettled and built houfes here; 

 for it is well known that the huts of the 

 Indians could not ferve the purpofe of the 

 Swallows-. A very creditable lady and her 

 children told me the following ftory, afTur- 

 . ing me that they were eye-witneffes to it : 

 A couple of Swallows built their neft in the 

 flable belonging to the lady; the female 



Swallow 



them again in fpring. The queftion therefore I believe 

 ought for the future to be thus ftated : The fwallows in 

 Spam, Italy, France, and perhaps fome from England, re- 

 move to warmer climates ; fome Englijh ones, and fome 

 in Germany and other mild countries, retire into clefts and 

 holes in rocks, and remain there in a torpid ftate. In the 

 colder northern countries the Swallows immerfe in the 

 fea, in lakes, and rivers, and remain in a torpid ftate, un- 

 der ice, during winter. There are ftill fome objections to 

 this latter affertion, which we muft remove. It isfaid, Why- 

 do not rapacious fifh, and aquatic quadrupeds and birds, de- 

 vour thefe Swallows ? The anfwer is obvious. Swallows 

 chufe only fuch places in the water for their winter retreat, 

 as are near reeds and rufhes ; fo that finking down there 

 betwesn them and their roots, they are by them fecured 

 againft the rapacioufnefs of their enemies. But others 

 objeft, Why are not thefe birds caught in fuch waters as are 

 continually harraffed by nets ? I believe the fame anfwer 

 which has been made to the firft objection, will ferve for 

 this likewife. Fifhermen take care to keep off with their 

 nets from places filled with reeds and rufhes, for fear of 

 entangling and tearing their nets ; and thus the fituatiori 

 of Swallows under water, is the reafon that they are feldom 

 difturbed in their filent winter-retreats. What confirms 

 this opinion ftill more is, that Swallows were never caught 

 in Pruffsa, according to the above-mentioned affidavits, 



hut 



