THE COMMON SWALLOW. 885 



at different periods during their stay, seen swallows on wing 

 at so late an hour that they could hardly be distinguished. 

 This occurred more especially throughout the month of June, 

 1832, which was remarkably cold and wet. On several evenings 

 towards the end of the month, I saw swallows fly about at a 

 quarter past 9, p.m. The wants of the nestlings doubtless 

 prompted this late flight, and in some instances it was of no avail, 

 as during the time young swallows were seen to fall dead from 

 the nest, owing, it was conjectured, to starvation ; this, too, in a 

 locality where food should have been comparatively abundant. 

 On the 12th of June, 1838, I observed a swallow flying about 

 Wolf-hill at half-past 9 o' clock in the evening. The day through- 

 out had been moderately warm, without rain. 



In Mr. Francis Bailey's account of the eclipse of the sun, 

 July 8th, 1842, as witnessed by him at Pavia, he remarks, that 

 "the darkness during the time of total observation, was not so 

 great as I had anticipated. I had caused a lighted candle to be 

 prepared in order to be ready in case of need ; but I eventually 

 extinguished it, as I found I could read very small print and note 

 the time by my chronometer without its assistance. Prior to the 

 commencement of the eclipse, I had observed a great number 

 of swallows flying about ; but towards the middle of the eclipse 

 they had all vanished, and did not make their appearance again 

 till a few minutes after the first ray of light emanated from the 

 sun, when they were as active, and soon became as numerous as 

 ever." — Athenseum, 1843, p. 19. At the annular eclipse of the 

 sun, May 15th, 1836, it was observed near Belfast that the birds 

 not only ceased to sing, but hurried to trees, &c, as if night had 

 suddenly come on. The instant cessation of their singing was 

 remarked to be peculiarly striking. The swallows did not every- 

 where disappear on this occasion, for Mr. Macgillivray tells us 

 he thought it singular, that although " the rooks and sparrows 

 had gone to bed, thinking it was night, the swallows continued 

 flying about as usual." — Br. Birds, vol. hi. p. 565. 



Variety of plumage. We occasionally see varieties in the colour 

 of the swallow. In the month of July, 1815, a pure-white bird was 



vol. i. 2 c 



