THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 337 



conjectures. Some naturalists maintained that, instead 

 of emigrating to distant regions, they hid themselves and 

 became torpid in the depths of some cave, just as the bats 

 do. One of the most reliable of these men, Larrey the 

 surgeon, mentions having discovered in the neighbourhood 

 of Maurienne a grotto, the roof of which was lined with 

 a mass of swallows which kept themselves attached to it 

 like a swarm of bees. 



But the experiments of Spallanzani have destroyed all 

 these false creeds. The learned abb^ found that the 

 swallows which he wanted to throw into a state of 

 hybernation in an ice-house, did not become torpid, but 

 died. 



Adanson has taught us that the swallows betake them- 

 selves to the Senegal during the cold season. Those which 

 are scattered through our lands unite together at autumn 

 on the shores of the Mediterranean, and when an irre- 

 sistible desire impels them to depart, cross this sea in 

 numerous troops. Thus then in summer the swallow 

 builds its nest under the sumptuous cornices of our 

 palaces, and in winter inhabits the huts of Senegambia.^ 



All do not attain the goal of their pilgrimage. The 

 waves engulf those who have reckoned too much upon 

 their strength, unless some propitious rock or ship happen 



'Mr. Charles Buxton, who has paid great attention to the acclimatization of 

 birds, and who appears to have succeeded wonderfully with his experiments at 

 Northrepps Hall, in the woods round which live, winter and summer, African 

 parrots, Bengal parroquets, and Philippine Island lorries, &c., lately read a paper 

 on this subject at a meeting of the British Association, in which he stated his 

 reasons for believing that the migration of birds "depends altogether on food, 

 and not the fear of cold. Even the delicate little long-tailed titmouse, and still 

 more delicate little golden-crested wren, remain with us the whole winter without 

 appearing to suffer." 



[This power of resisting cold Mr. Buxton attributes to the im))ermeal:ile cover- 

 ing of down below the feathers of birds, and possibly to their having a greater 

 supply of caloric than other animals. — Tr..] 



