282 OBSERVATIONS OX BIRDS. 



SAND-MARTINS. 



March 23, 1788. A "gentleman, who was this week on a visit at 

 Waverley, took the opportunity of examining some of the holes in the 

 sand-banks with which that district abounds. As these are undoubtedly 

 bored by bank martins, and are the places where they avowedly breed, 

 he was in hopes they might have slept there also, and that he might 

 have surprised them just as they were awaking from their winter 

 slumbers. When he had dug for some time, he found the holes were 

 horizontal and serpentine, as I had observed before ; and that the 

 nests were deposited at the inner end, and had been occupied by broods 

 in former summers, but no torpid birds were to be found. He opened 

 and examined about a dozen holes. Another gentleman made the same 

 search many years ago, with as little success. 



These holes were in depth about two feet. 



March 21, 1790. A single bank or sand martin was seen hovering 

 and playing round the sand-pit at Short Heath, where in the summer 

 they abound. 



April 9, 1793. A sober hind assures us, that this day, on Wish- 

 hanger common between Hedleigh and Frinsham, he saw several bank- 

 martins playing in and out, and hanging before some nest-holes in a 

 sand-hill, where these birds usually nestle. 



The incident confirms my suspicions, that this species of hirundo is 

 to be seen first of any ; and gives great reason to suppose 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 suppose 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 uncom- 

 fortable foodless months in a torpid state, and the profoundest of 

 slumbers. 



There is a large pond at Wish-hanger, which induces these sand- 

 martins to frequent that district. For I have ever remarked that they 

 haunt near great waters, either rivers or lakes. WHITE. 



Here, and in many other passages of his writings, this very ingenious 

 naturalist savours the opinion that part, at least, of the swallow tribe 

 pass their winter in a torpid state in the same manner as bats and 

 flies, and revive again on the approach of spring. 



I have frequently taken notice of all these circumstances, which 

 induced Mr. White to suppose that some of these hirundines lie torpid 

 during winter. I have seen so late as November, on a finer day than 

 usual at that season of the year, two or three swallows flying backwards 

 and forwards under a warm hedge, or on the sunny side of some old 

 building ; nay, I once saw on the 8th of December two martins flying 

 about very briskly, the weather being mild. I had not seen any con- 

 siderable number either of swallows or martins for a considerable time 



