338 OBSERVATIONS ON 



Hiruncfo 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 pro- 

 bable that those 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 tl^ey may, like bats 

 and flies, have been awakened by the influence of the sun, 

 amidst their secret latebrce, where they have spent the un- 

 comfortable foodless months in a torpid state, and the pro- 

 foundest 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. 1 



SWALLOWS CONGREGATING AND DISAPPEARING. 

 DURING the severe winds that often prevail late in tha 



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

 naturalist favours 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 those circumstances which in- 

 duced Mr. White to suppose that some of the 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 

 before ; from whence then could these few birds come, if not from some 

 hole or cavern where they had laid themselves up for the Avinter? 

 Surely it will not be asserted that these birds migrate back again from 

 some distant tropical region, merely on the appearance of a fine day or 

 two at this late season of the year. Again, very early in the spring, 

 and sometimes immediately after very cold severe weather, on its growing 

 a little warmer, a few of these birds suddenly make their appearance, 

 long before the generality of them are seen. These appearances certainly 

 favour the opinion of their passing the winter in a torpid state, but do 

 not absolutely prove the fact ; for who ever saw them reviving of their 

 own accord from their torpid state, without being first brought to the 

 fire, and, as it were, forced into life again ; soon after which revivifica- 

 tion they constantly die. MAUKWICK. 



