HIBERNATING SWALLOWS.
[TO THIS EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
am inclined to think that Mr. Morris's account of the young swallows hibernating is authentic. Only recently, on fine days, I have observed a few swallows or house-martens on the wing about some old cottages at West Tarring, in this county (Sussex), and it is late for them now to go ; and when living in Yorkshire, a few years ago, on my observing to the gardener of my cottage that it was very early for the swallows—a pair having appeared on an early warm spring day—he remarked that "some never went away at all," at which I was somewhat incredulous ; but he assured me that he had himself seen what he described, layers of young swallows in an hibernating state, when taking up the flooring of some house in that parish—Thorp Arch—during winter ; and he described to me how, as it appeared to him, they had obtained access to their retreat. I cannot doubt the word of this man, but I could, if needed, obtain his full account of what he himself saw.—I am, Sir, &c., H.
Previous page
