INTRODUCTION. 
XVI 
trymen, that Swallows fometimes aflembled in numbers, cling- 
ing to a reed till it broke, and funk with them to the bottom $ 
that their immerfion was preceded by a fong or dirge, which laded 
more than a quarter of an hour ; fometimes they laid hold of a 
draw with their bills, and plunged down in fociety ; and that 
others formed a large mafs, by clinging together by the feet, 
and in this manner committing themfelves to the deep. It re- 
quires no great depth of reafoning to refute fuch palpable abfur- 
dities, or to (hew the phyfical impoffibility of a body, fpecidcal- 
ly lighter than water, employing another body lighter than it- 
felf for the purpofe of immerfion : But, admitting the pofiibi- 
lity of this curious mode of immerfion, it is by no mean3 proba- 
ble that Swallows, or any other animal, in a torpid date, can ex- 
id for any length of time in an element to which they have ne- 
ver been accudomed, and are befides totally unprovided by Na- 
ture with organs fuited to fuch a mode of fubfidence. 
The celebrated Mr John Hunter informs us, “ that he had 
difle&ed many Swallows, but found nothing in them different 
from other birds as to the organs of refpiration 5” and therefore 
concludes that it is highly abfurd to fuppofe, that terredrial ani- 
mals can remain any long time under water without drowning. 
It mud not however be denied, that Swallows have been fome- 
times found in a torpid date during the winter months ; but fuch 
indances are by no means common, and will not fupport the in- 
ference, that, if any of them can furvive the winter in that date, 
the whole fpecies is preferved in the fame manner.'* That other 
* There are various inftances on record, which bear the ftrongeft 
marks of veracity, of Swallows having been taken out of water, and of 
their having been fo far recovered by warmth as to exhibit evident figns 
of life, fo as even to fly about for a fliort fpace of time. But whilft we 
admit the fadl, we are not inclined to allow the conclufion generally 
drawn from it, viz. that Swallows, at the time of their difappearance, fre- 
quently immerfe themfelves in feas, lakes, and rivers, and at the proper 
feafon emerge and re-affume the ordinary functions of life and anima- 
tion ; for, it fhould be obferved, that in thofe inftances, which have been 
the beft authenticated, [See Forfter’s Tranflation of Kalm’s Travels into 
North America, p. 140—note.] it appears, that the Swallows fo taken up 
