428 
MIGRATION.—SNAKE. 
a community of three or four Hedgehogs revived at 
that early period of the year, and which absconded 
with due speed. This assembling of Hedgehogs is 
I think unnoticed by authors. 
Migration .—Under the head of u Hirundines n 
I remarked that Swallows seemed to arrive late on 
occasion of backward springs, and gave instances 
to that effect. Still however though our backward 
springs may be connected with similar conditions 
of the season in those countries through which 
they pass, or rather linger, and though backward 
seasons may cause them to conceal themselves in 
spots unexposed to cold till warmer weather invite 
them forth to general observation, there can be no 
doubt their arrival hither is determined as to time 
by the state of weather in those countries which 
are their abodes during our winter. A general per¬ 
suasion has crept into vogue that the Hirundines 
are affected in their transit to us by a condition of 
the season similar to w hat we are experiencing 
wdiatever that may be, but in reality nothing as a 
general rule is more unlikely; storms for instance 
may arrest their progress at sea. In 1839 w r e had 
an uncommonly fine April, and yet Sw T allows w r ere 
very late ; I saw none till April 26th, and they 
were not general till May, and some cause indeed, 
external to this country had a similar effect on other 
migrants as appeared by the late arrival of the 
Whitethroat, Blackcap, &c. 
Snake .—There seems some explanation of the 
fact of Snakes being at times seen swimming over 
small streams, in the food of which they occasionally 
partake. G. Leach, esq. of Stoke, informs me that 
at a farm w T hich he manages near Launceston, he 
has a pond with a small island in its centre; on 
this he once found a large Snake, and it being very 
big in the body, he killed it, and by squeezing it 
from the tail towards the mouth he forced out seven 
young water rats recently swallowed. 
