a House-martin flying,
at Oxford, on the 20th of November.[126] On the 26th of November 1768,
one of his neighbours saw a Martin hawking briskly after flies.[127] And
a very respectable gentleman assured him that on a remarkably hot day,
either in the last week in December or the first week in January, he
espied three or four Swallows in the moulding of a window of Merton
College, Oxford.[128]

Colonel Montagu remarks that "there are a variety of instances of the
Swallow and Martin having been seen flying in the months of November and
December, roused probably from a state of torpidity by an unusual warmth
of the air;"[129] and Captain H. W. Hadfield, commenting on this,
affirms that he has "more than once had ocular proof of their presence
during the winter months."[130] Yarrell gives examples of the late
appearance of the Swift. One was seen by Mr Blackwall on the 20th of
October 1815; a second in Perthshire on the 8th of November 1834; and a
third in Devonshire, by the Rev. Mr Cornish, on the 27th November
1835.[131] In considering these cases, it is needful to bear in mind
that the Swift migrates from this country annually from the 1st to the
15th of August.

Mr C. R. Bree mentions the following case, which I record, not because
it was particularly late, but because the state of the season, and some
other circumstances which he remarks on are interesting:--"On the 25th
of October 1848, some workmen being engaged on the roof of my house, I
was surprised by the appearance of three Swallows flying about the men.
I had not seen one since the beginning of the month. By the side of the
edge of the gable-end of the house the plaster was broken away, forming
a hole, which led under the roof. While watching the birds, which came
occasionally quite close to my face, I saw first one, then another,
alight upon the ledge of the gable-end, near the hole. Now, I thought, I
am to settle the question of hybernation: but I was disappointed. Though
I watched them for several hours--though I sent the workmen to another
part of the house, yet, although they frequently settled about the hole,
they never entered it. They were evidently young birds, and had been
disturbed. One of them rested upon the chimney, and appeared weak and
dull. I lost sight of them during the day; but the following morning,
the weather being warm, I saw several flying about high up in the air.
There is some mystery about these things. Why have these late
appear