412 SW A:LiLTO W'S Giga 
four or five /wallows were obferved hovering round 
and fettling on the county hofpital at Oxford. As 
thefe birds muft have been of a late hatch, it is 
highly improbable that at fo late a feafon of the 
year, they would attempt from one of our midland 
counties, a voyage almoft as far as.the equator to 
Senegal or Goree: we are therefore confirmed in 
our notion, that there is only a partial migration 
of thefe birds; and that the feeble late hatches 
conceal themieives in this country. 

The above, are circumftances we cannot but 
affent to, though feemingly contradictory to the 
common courfe of nature in regard to other birds. 
We muft, therefore, divide our belief relating to 
thefe two fo different opinions, and conclude, that 
one part of the fwallow tribe migrate, and that 
others have their winter quarters near home. If 
it fhould be demanded, why {wallows alone are 
found in a torpid ftate, and not the other many 
{pecies of foft billed birds, which likewife difap- 
pear about the fame time? The following reafon 
may be affigned: 
No birds are fo much on the wing as fwallows, 
none fly with fuch fwiftnefs and rapidity, none 
are obliged to fuch fudden and various evolutions 
in their fight, none are at fuch pains to take their~ 
prey, and we may add, none exert their voice 
mare incefflantly ; all thefe occafion a vaft expence 
of ftrength, and of fpirits, and may give fuch a tex- 
ture to the blood, that other animals cannot experi- 
ence; 
