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to me, that our fummer birds who difappear are 

 not fleepers, is, that no fuch fleeping birds have 

 at any time been found, and all the reports of 

 thefe things are fo uncertain, that no fober man 

 can at all depend on them. Did they really 

 creep into holes as is reported, it would be cer- 

 tainly known, and not remain, as it does, a very 

 doubtful matter ; for why fhould they not be 

 daily found fleeping, as are Dormice, by wood- 

 men and country people, fince many of the fup- 

 pofed fleepers are found awake in much greater 

 numbers. I believe, indeed, that the inftindt of 

 thefe birds is not fo abfolutely certain, as to 

 prevent them from being fometimes furprifed by 

 a very cold wet autumn. In fuch a cafe I be- 

 lieve fome flocks of Swallows have lofl: their 

 paflage, and have been conftrained through 

 weaknefs to flicker themfelves in holes where 

 they have periflied. 



If travellers would be at a little expence of 

 thought and labour, I believe we might come to 

 fome tolerable knowledge in relation to the paf- 

 fage of birds, which is now very obfcure to us. 

 In order to forward fuch knowledge, I fliall here 



point 



