[ io5 ] 



mates, recourfe fhould be had to fome other rea- 

 fon for their vanifhing. 



" Of the three opinions, the firft has the ut- 

 moft appearance of probability \ which is, that 

 they remove nearer the fun, where they can find 

 a continuance of their natural diet, and a tem- 

 perature of air fuiting their conftitutions. That ' 

 this is the cafe with fome fpecies of European 

 Swallows, has been proved beyond contradiétion. 

 We often obferve them coUefled in flocks innu* 

 merable, on churches, on rocks, and on trees, 

 previous to their departure hence ; and Mr. Col- 

 linfon proves their return here in perhaps equal 

 numbers, by two curious relations of undoubted 

 credit : the one communicated to him by Mr. 

 W right, mafter of a lliip ^ the other by the late 

 Sir Charles Wager, who both defcribed (to the 

 fame purpofe) what happened to each in their 

 voyages. " Returning home, fays Sir Charles, 

 *' in the fpring of the year, as I came into found- 

 " ing in our channel, a great flock of Swallows 



came and fettled on all my rigging ; every 

 ^' rope v/as covered j they hung on one another 



like 



