Note m — BOOK VII.

Swifts and Swallows have remarkably short Legs, especially the former, and their Toes grasp any Thing very strongly. All which is useful to them in building their Nests, and other such Occasions as necessitate them to hang frequently by their Heels. But there is far greater use of this Structure of their Legs and Feet, if the Reports be true of their hanging by the Heels in great Clusters (after the manner of Bees) in Mines and Grotto’s, and on the Rocks by the Sea, all the Winter. Of which latter, I remember the late learned Dr. Fry told this Story at the University, and confirmed it to me since, viz. That an ancient Fisherman, accounted an honest Man, being near some Rocks on the Coast of Cornwal, saw at a very low Ebb, a black List of something adhering to the Rock, which when he came to examine, he found it was a great Number of Swallows, and, if I misremember not, of Swifts also, hanging by the Feet to one Another, as Bees do; which were covered commonly by the Sea-Waters, but revived in his warm Hand, and by the Fire. All this the Fisherman himself assured the Doctor of. Of this, see more, Chap. 3. Note (d) of this Book.