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town, affures me, that he once faw many martins in the- 
winter, about Chriftmas, flying to and fro under a 
large rock, not more than a mile from Totnefs, and alfo 
near the river. Mr. dever, a reputable farmer, is ready 
at any time to make oath, that he once found a fwift in 
the church of Afliprington, in the middle of winter; 
that he took it in his hand, and though it fliewed no 
flgns of life, he is certain, it could not have been dead 
but a few hours. He fuppofes it dropped from the roof, 
at a time when fome mafons were at work, repairing a 
breach. thomas didham alfo affirms, that he once 
faw, on the 26th of December, two fwallow's or martins, 
flying in a gentleman’s court of Syflerton; that it was a 
pleafant day ; and that he then fuppofed that they had 
iffued from the old thatch-covering of the out-houles. 
But here follows a dired: evidence, as to the torpidity 
of one kind of bird. Mr. wiat made oath, laft Sunday, 
in the parifli church of Haberton, before me and a cre- 
ditable witnels,. that in the winter, and near Chriftmafs, 
he once found,, in a hollow afli-tree them taking down, 
a bird covered with, a kind of down; that on handling 
it, it ffiewed flgns of life that the two labourers who af- 
flfted in felling the tree, alfo handled it; that when they 
flrft perceived the bird, it appeared to be dead, yet the 
Beat of their hands made it move brilkly ; and that this 
bird he believes to have been a cuckow. As tlie ftory of 
the cuckow plucking off his feathers, and remaining tor- 
pid during the winter in hollow trees, is generally be- 
lieved in this country, the effablifliment of the facfl aji- 
peared. 
