[ 2 4< ] 



pofed that they conflantjy return to the fame ipot from the coaft 

 of Africa, rather than they mould be torpid during the winter, in 

 no very diftant place of concealment. 



But they who maintain that fwallows periodically leave Europe 

 and proceed to Africa, rely much upon their being feen to 

 congregate not long before they difappear, which happens how- 

 ever with regard to many other birds, and the affemblage confifts 

 of the firft brood, who are left by their parents to fhift for them- 

 felves, fwallows and martins uniting. 



This therefore feems to arife from fuch birds confide ring 

 themfelves as rather in a defencelefs ftate, unlefs 



Defendit Humerus. 



That this is the fact, particularly with the fwallow tribe, ap- 

 pears by the repeated obfervations of that attentive and ingenious 

 naturalift the Rev. Mr White e . 



It is well known that the fwallow and martin have two broods 

 every year, and confequently that their firft neftlings muft be 

 abandoned by the parents : how therefore are the produce of the 

 firft neft to be conducted over the Atlantic from Great Britain and 

 Ireland, to Africa ? 



How alfo can it be expected, that the fecond brood, which I 

 have known myfelf to be hatched in October, mould be equal to 

 fuch a pafTage, in which they have no infects to feed upon, and 

 in which they never feem to have been obferved byanyfhipata 

 confiderable diftance from land, or by any perfon on more, who 

 can properly affert that they were bent on fuch periodical migra- 

 tion ? 



I will here add an obfervation which relates to the Swift only. 

 This bird, by the length of its wings, is certainly better calculated 



c Of Selborne, inHampfhire. See Phil. Tranf. vol. LXV. p. 261. 



I i for 



