276 
NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
some time, he found the holes were horizontal and sei-pentine, as 
I had observed before : and that the nests were deposited at the 
inner end, and had been occupied by broods in former summers, 
but no torpid birds were to be found. He opened and examined 
about a dozen holes. Another gentleman made the same search 
many years ago, with as little success. These holes were in 
dfepth about two feet. 
March 21, 1790. A single bank or sand martin was seen 
hovering and playing round the sand-pit at Short Heath, where 
in the summer they abound. 
April 9, 1793. A sober hind assures us, that this day, on 
Wish-hanger common between Hedleigh and Frinsham, he saw 
several bank-martins playing in and out, and hanging before 
some nest-holes in a sand-hill, where these birds usually nestle. 
This incident confirms my suspicions that this species of 
hirundo is to be seen first of any; and gives great reason to sup- 
pose that they do not leave their wild haunts at all, but are 
secreted amidst the clefts and caverns of those abrupt clififs 
where they usually spend their summers. 
The late severe weather considered, it is not very probable 
that these birds should have migrated so early from a tropical 
region, through all these cutting winds and pinching frosts : but 
it is easy to suppose that they may, like bats and flies, have been 
awakened by the influence of the sun, amidst their secret latebrse, 
where they have spent the uncomfortable foodless months in a 
torpid state, and the profoundest of slumbers. 
There is a large pond at Wish-hanger, which induces these 
sand-martins to frequent that district. For I have ever remarked 
that they haunt near great waters, either rivers or lakes.* 
* Here, and in many other passages of his writings, this very ingenious naturalist favours the 
opinion that part at least of the swallow tribe pass their winter in a torpid state in the same 
manner as bats and flies, and revive again on the approach of spring. 
1 have frequently taken notice of all these circumstances, which induced Mr. White to suppose 
that some of the hirundines lie torpid during winter. 1 have seen, so late as November, on a 
finer day than usual at that season of the year, two or three swallows flying backwards and for- 
wards under a warm hedge, or on the sunny side of some old building ; nay 1 once saw on the 
8th of December two martins flying about very briskly, the weather being mild. 1 had not seen 
any considerable number either of swallows or martins for a considerable time before; from 
whence then could these few birds come, if not from some hole or cavern where they had laid 
themselves up for the winter? Surely it will not be asserted that these birds migrate back again 
from some distant tropical region, merely on the appearance of a fine day or two at this late 
season of the year. Again, very early in the spring, and sometimes immediately after very cold 
severe weather, on its growing a little warmer, a few of these birds suddenly make their appear- 
ance, long before the generality of them are seen. These appearances certainly favour the opinion 
of their passing the winter in a torpid state, but do not absolutely prove the fact; for who ever 
saw them reviving of their own accord from their torpid state, without being first brought to the 
fire, and as it were, forced into life again ; soon after which revivification they constantly die. — 
Markwick. 
