i6 
know that the Gracula Quiscula has ever been seen immediately about Philadelphia. It is commonly seen on or 
near the sea-coast, and not often twenty miles distant from it. It loves the neighbourhood of the sea, and of 
brackish water. The Gracula which 1 mention, in the Tables, is very common about Philadelphia, where it 
associates with the Red-Wing Oriole, or Oriolus phoeniceus, and with Crows (Corvus Corone), committing 
great depredations on the mays in the fields ; and in the Southern States, on the rice that is stacked in the barn 
yards. Builds on trees, pretty high up, and seems, for this purpose, to give a preference to the evergreens, such 
as taU Pine-trees, &c. Our Gracula is either the Gracula Barrita, Boat-Tail-Grakle, or very nearly allied to it. | 
* FringiUa pecoris. This bird certainly belongs to the same genus as the Oriolus phoeniceus, whether that b6| 
Emberiza or FringiUa. It follows cows and horses, pulling asunder their excrements, in order to get at the seeds. 
It ahghts on their backs, eating flies and other insects from them. In some parts of Pennsylvania, it is best known 
by the name of Cow-Bird. It is the Sturnus stercorarius of Bartram. Travels. 
* Motacilla Sialis. This is one of our earliest singing birds. Its note is highly agreeable. It is the TscM-hoa-pe-ke-lu 
of the Delawares. See P. 12. Sect. III. 
* Scolopax GalUnago. Scolopax americana rufa of Bartram. Travels. It is the Me-me-u of the Delaware-Indians. 
* Charadrius vociferus. This species is observed to increase in proportion as the country becomes cleared. Is ver^ 
seldom seen remote from the habitations of man. 
* Scolopax minor. Scolopax minor arvensis of Bartram. Travels. Pi-si-co-lisf of the Delaware-Indians. 
* Hirundo purpurea. Pons^pau-cloo-moose, or "the bird that never rests," of the Mohegan-Indians. I am of opi 
nion, that this and the three other species of Swallow, which I have mentioned, are migi-atory birds. I am no- 
ignorant, that an opposite opinion is gaining ground among us. See Dr. Belknap's History of New Hampshire^ 
Vol. III. p. 174. My friend, Mr. WilHam Bartram, assures me, ''that he has seen, in the spring, large flocks 6, 
aU our Swallows, upon their passage from the south, and in the autumn, on their return southward from Peim| 
sylvania, through Carolina, to Florida, where, however, neither of them winter; but continue farther on southj 
ward." MS. penes me. I cannot but consider the testimony of this gentleman, in matters of this kind, as q 
high value. Indeed, all my enc^uiries convince me, that our swallows are migratory birds. I am, however, fa 
from denying, that swallows have occasionally been found in the hollows of decayed trees, in dift'erent parts of ou 
country, during that very season, when it supposed these birds are in a more southern chmate. I will not evei 
deny, that they have been found under the mud of rivers, &c. These, however, must be considered as extraordinan 
instances, which very rarely occur. They only serve to show the accommodating powers of birds, which some, 
times continue in a country the whole year through, and in other times migrate from these countries. It is no 
difficult to account for some of the instances of SwaUows being found in trees, &c. In these instances, I presum^' 
the birds have been compelled to take up their habitations here, after their return from the south, having beei 
surprized by very cold weather. The SwaUows are, certainly, very impatient of cold.t No wonder, therefort; 
that in a climate so variable as that of Pennsylvania, these birds should sometimes retire into trees, &c. to seek shelter 
I have observed, that several weeks after the first appearance of the Swallows in the spring, the coming on of 
cold day, has occasioned in them great distress. The foUowing fact wiU strikingly iUustrate what I am saying 
The beginning of the month of April, 1773, was unusually warm. In the vicinity of PhUadelphia, the clovei 
in some of the fields, was five or six inches high. The Martins (Hirundo purpurea) were seen about the city : a 
this time, there came on suddenly a very severe speU of cold weather. It destroyed many of these birds, severt 
of which were seen to drop down, benumbed or dead, among the clover. 
If any species of our swallows continues with us the whole year, I think it most likely to be the Hirundo ^ 
or Little Bank-Martin. I have been informed, that in several instances, this species has been found in a torpi 
t My very respectable and learned friend Dr. .John Walker, Professor of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh, used to inform 
^1" Once knew a cold ni«ht (m Scotland) to overtake the Martins (Eirundo urbica), the Swifts (Hiruado Apus), and the ^^"-^ f " 
which b.lun.bcd thorn I such a degree, that they seemed dead, but when they were brought into a warm room, they recovered, and after the su 
roHe, th<7 all took to the wing. Not one of them was destroyed by the cold." 
