44 
CORNCRAKES. HUMMING-BIRDS. 
Winter to remove a large heap of manure, that had 
remained undisturbed for a great length of time, 
perceived a hole, which was supposed to have been 
made by rats ; it penetrated to a great depth, but at 
its termination, instead of rats, three Corncrakes were 
discovered, as if placed there with the greatest care, 
not a feather being out of its place, and apparently 
lifeless. The birds, on examination, were, however, 
considered to be in a torpid state, and were placed 
near a fire in a warm room. In the course of a short 
time, a tremulous motion was observed in one of 
their legs, and soon after a similar motion was noticed 
in the legs and wings of the \vdiole, which at length 
extended itself to their whole bodies, and, finally, 
the birds were enabled to run and fly about the 
room*. 
Humming-birds also, we are assured, are some- 
times overtaken by cold, and have been known to 
fall into a torpid state t. 
It has been argued that as some animals, such as 
the bear, dormouse, &c , are subject to long seasons 
of torpidity, during which time they require no 
food, Swallows may in like manner continue in a 
torpid slumbering state throughout the Winter. A 
few experiments, carefully attended to, might throw 
additional light upon the subject. If Swallows, for 
instance, were exposed to cold, at or near the freezing 
point, sleep might overcome them, just as it does 
travellers who have been accidentally exposed to the 
inclemency of the weather : on becoming benumbed, 
we know that drowsiness commences, which, if not 
* Ed. Journ . vol. viii. 
f Phil. Mag. vol. xxii. 
