M I G R A T I O N. 
359 
which happen every year ought to be confirmed by a great 
number of obfervations, and not by a few inftances di¬ 
verted of afmoft all their concomitant circumftances. 
Can no better proofs be brought to. prove the migration 
of fwallows than thofe of Adanfon and fir Charles Wager, 
or the circumftances mentioned by Mr. White and Mr. 
Lafkey refpecting their difappearing ? We ought not 
merely to know that fome fwallows have taken afoutherly 
flight in autumn, that fome have been found at a great 
distance from land in the fpring, or in harveft ; but we 
ought to know to what countries they actually retire. 
Before we can reft fatisified, too, that it is a general fait 
that fwallows remain in a torpid ftate during winter, ei¬ 
ther in caverns or in the bottom of lakes, &c. we mull 
have more proofs; we muft know what fpecies of fwal¬ 
lows they are faid to be, in what countries this event 
takes place, and feveral other circumftances of the fame 
kind. 
We cannot help thinking that much remains to be 
done in order properly to afcertain w'hat becomes of the 
fwallows in Europe during winter. It would be necef- 
fary, in the firft piace, to know accurately what are the 
countries in which fwallows are found. 2. Do they re¬ 
main vifible the whole year ? or, if they dilappear, at 
what feafon does this happen, and when do they appear 
again? 3. Do they ever appear while a ftrong north wind 
blows, or do they only come in great numbers with a 
louth wind ? 
There are five fpecies which vifit Great Britain during 
the fummer-months ; the common or chimney fwallows 
the martin, land-martin, fwift, and goat-fucker. 1. The 
c himney-fw allow frequents almoft every part of the old 
continent; being known (fays Dr. Latham) from Norway 
to the Cape of Good Hope on the one fide, and from 
Kamtfchatka to India and Japan on the other. It is alfo 
found in all parts of North America, and in feveral of 
the Well-Indian Iflands. In Europe it difappears during 
the winter months. It appears generally a little after the 
vernal equinox; but rather earlier in the fouthern, and 
later in the northern, latitudes. It adheres to the ufual 
feafons with much regularity; for, though the months of 
February and March ihouid be uncommonly mild, and 
April and May remarkably cold, it never deviates from 
its ordinary time. In the cold fpring of 1740, feme ap¬ 
peared in France before the infefts on which they feed had 
become numerous enough to fupport them; and great 
numbers died. In the mild and even vvarm fpring of 
1774, tiie y appeared no earlier than ufual. They remain 
in fome warm countries the whole year. Kolbe allures 
us that this is the cafe at the Cape of Good Hope ; but 
(he fays) they are more numerous in winter. Some bird’s 
of this fpecies live, during winter, even in Europe; for 
example, on the coaft of Genoa, where they fpend the 
night in the open country on the orange-flirubs. 2. The 
martins are alfo widely diffufed through the old continent'; 
but the countries where they refideor vifit have not been 
marked by naturalifts with much attention. 3. The [and- 
martins are found in every part of Europe, and frequently 
fpend the winter in Malta. Two birds of this l'pecies 
were leen in Perigord in France, on the 27th of December, 
1775, when there was a foutherly wind, attended with a 
little rain. 4. The fwift vifits the whole continent of 
Europe; has alfo been obferved at the Cape of Good 
Hope, and in Carolina in North America. 5. The goat- 
J'uckers are not very common birds, yet are widely Scat¬ 
tered. They are found in every country betweerrSweden 
and Africa : they are found alio in India. In April th» 
fouth-weft wind brings them to Malta ; and in autumn 
they repafs in great numbers. Buff on's Birds, vol. vi. 
Mr. Markwick of Catsfield, near Battle in Suflex, has 
drawn up an accurate Table, exprefilng the day of the 
month on which the birds, commonly called migratory, 
appeared in fpring, and dilkppeared in autumn, for 16 
years, from 1768 to 1783 inclufive. The obfervations 
were made at Catsfield. From this Table we fhall ex¬ 
tract the dates for five years ; but muft refer, for fome 
other interefting particulars, to the paper itfelf, “ On the 
Migration of certain Birds,” in the Tranfaftions of the 
Linnafan Society, vol. i. p. 118. 
F 
Swallow— Hirundo ruftica - 
Martin— Hirundo urbica - - - 
Swift— Hirundo apus - - 
Sand Martin— Hirundo riparia - 
Wryneck— Yunx torquilla - 
Cuckoo— Cuculus cauorus - 
Woodcock— Scolopax rujHcola - 
Redwing— Turdus iliacus 
Royftcn Crow— Corvus cornix 
Snipe— Scolopax gallinago - - 
Fieldfare —Turdus pilaris 
Jack Snipe— Scolopax gallinula - 
Silkin— Fringillajpinus - - 
Redftart —Motacilla p/icenicurns - 
Willow Wren— Motacilla troc/iilus 
Nightingale —Motacilla lufcinia - 
Whitethroat- —Motacilla Jilvia 
Wheatear— Motacillo oenanthe - 
Flycatcher— Mufcicapa grifola - 
Landrail— Rallies crex - - - 
Whinehat —Motacilla rubetra - 
Blackcap —Motacilla atricapilla - 
it fee, 
Apr. 14 
Apr. 14 
May 9 
May 7 
Apr. 11 
Apr. 2 5 
Oft. 12 
1779 - 
Laft ft 
Oft. 
Oft. 
Oft. 30 
Nov. 13 
Apr.30 
Apr. 19 
Apr. 17 
Apr.21 
Apr. 3 
May 1 
Sept. 
Sept. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
Mar. 
Mai-. 
Sept. 
Oft. 
Sept. 
Sept. 
Sept. 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Sept. 
Sept. 
1780.' 
Firft feen. 
Laft feen. 
Nov. 3 
Nov. 3 
Sept. 8 
Sept. 8 
Sept. 14 
Apr. 2 9 
May 6 
Apr. 8 
Apr. 10 
Apr.27 
Oft. 19 
Apr. 8 
Apr. 8 
Nov.11 
Apr. 8 
Apr. 8 
Apr. 1 9 
Apr.30 
Dec. 28 
Apr.ic 
Apr.30 
Apr..i 6 
Apr. 5 
Apr.30 
Apr.22 
May 14 
Aug'24 
Sept.i 3 
Sept. 14 
.Sept.20 
Sept.14 
Apr.30 
Sept. 14 
17S1. 
Firft feen. 
Apr. 8 
May 12 
May 12 
Apr.26 
Apr.14 
Apr. 19 
Oft. 30 
Nov.30 
Dec.23 
Sept.29 
Dec.25 
Laft feen, 
oft. 1 5 
Sept. 7 
Sept. 1 
Sept. 1 
Apr. 15 
Apr. 17 
Apr. 3 
Apr. 14 
Apr. 14 
Mar. 2 6 
May 16 
Sept.29 
Aug20 
Apr. 14 
Mar. 21 
Apr. 14 
Apr. 14 
Mar. 2 
Apr.14 
Apr. 14 
Firft feen. 
Apr.22 
Apr.26 
May 18 
May 13 
Apr.25 
Apr.26 
Oft. 23 
Dec.21 
Sept. 6 
Sept. 4 
Sept. 7 
Sept.22 
Sept. 4 
1782. 
1783. 
I-a ft feen 
Sept. 1 
Nov. 2 
Aug28 
Aug2g 
Aug'29 
Mar.27 
Mar. 2 7 
Dec.2 
Apr.25 
Apr. 18 
May 3 
Apr.25 
Mar. 13 
May 16 
Sept. 12 
Allg2 
Apr.26 
Firft feen, 
Apr. 13 
May 1 
May 1 3 
July 25 
Apr. 18 
Apr. 2 8 
Oft. 14 
Sept.20 
Sept.20 
Sept.20 
Aug3i 
Laft feen, 
Nov. 6 
Nov. 6 
Nov. 6 
Sept. 1 
Jan.15 
Dec. 8 
Dec.29 
Dec.29 
Apr.2 7 
Apr. 13 
Apr.28 
Apr.26 
Apr. ’ 3 
Maj' 14 
Sept. 2 
Aug-26 
May 15 
Apr. 6 
Apr. 6 
Apr. 3 
Apr. 6 
Apr. 6 
Apr. 6 
Oft. 2 
Oft. 7 
Oft. 2 
Oft. 
Oft. 2! 
Oft. 
Were tables of the fame kind made in every different 
country, particularly within the torrid zone, it would 
be eafy to determine the queftion which we have been 
confldering. To many, perhaps, it may not appear a 
matter of fuch importance as to be worth the labour. 
We acknowledge it to be rather a curious than an im¬ 
portant inquiry; yet it is one which mull be highly gra¬ 
tifying to every mind that can admire the wifdom of the 
Great Architect of Nature, The mftmet of the Avallow 
is indeed wonderful: it appears among us juft at the time 
when infefts become numerous; and it continues with us 
during the hot weather, in order to prevent them from 
multiplying too much. It difappears when thefe infefts 
are no longer troublel'ome. It is never found in folitude; 
it is the friend of man, and always takes up its refidence 
with us, that it may proteft our houfes and our lireets 
from being annoyed with fwarms of flies. 
Migration 
