g to Cuvier, White, &c., had I thought they
were taking up their winter quarters; but I have not sufficient faith in
the theory to induce me to unslate a part of the roof to seek for them,
which might be done, however, at a trifling cost, provided permission
were obtained."[137]

It is rather a pity that the observer had not confidence enough to
induce him to make the investigation which he suggests.

Mr William Bree mentions as many as fifteen or twenty Martins and
Swallows sporting in the air near Temple Balsall on the 18th November
1846, adding that he has frequently seen individuals much later, but
never recollects to have seen so great a number together at that late
period. And, finally, Mr J. Johnston, jun., reports that he saw, in the
afternoon of 18th January 1837, three Swallows dipping and hawking as in
summer, near Wakefield.[138]

There is less evidence of the appearance of these birds before the
ordinary time of arrival of the migrants. But White, when a boy,
observed a Swallow for a whole day together on a sunny warm Shrove
Tuesday, which day could not fall out later than the middle of March,
and often happened early in February.[139] And Mr Samuel Gurney, jun.,
together with several other persons, saw either a Martin or Swallow, on
the 27th of March 1844.[140]

If this last occurrence had stood alone, it would have been of slight
importance; for Yarrell mentions a single Swallow as having been seen by
a fisherman near the Eddystone as early as the 4th of April; and
Sand-martins, even as far north as Carlisle, before the end of March. It
is just possible that these may have been stragglers of the great army
of migrants, arriving some ten or fifteen days before their time; but
considering the whole great array of evidence, I rather believe that
these too were hybernants, who had been prematurely awakened from
torpidity by unusually warm days.

The accounts of _Hirundines_ having been found in a somnolent state in
winter may or may not be true; though the great number of such
statements in various and distant countries makes the indiscriminate
rejection of them even more difficult than the acceptance. But still
there remains the undeniable fact that it is quite an ordinary thing for
birds of this family, including all our four common species, to be seen
with us through November and December, and occasionally in
January;--that is, for two or three months after the great body of
migrants have left the co