Note Chap. 3. Note (d) — BOOK VII.

[d] I instance particularly in Ægypt, because Mr. Willughby thinks Swallows fly thither, and into Æthiopia, &c. and that they do nor lurk in Holes, or under Water, as Olaus Magnus Reports. Vid. Ornith. L. 2. c. 3. But Etmuller puts the Matter out of doubt; who saith, Memini me plures, quàm quas Medimnus caperit, Hirundines arcte coacervatas intra Piscinæ cannas, sub glacie prorsus ad sensum exanimes pulsantes tamen, reperiisse. Etmuller Dissert. 2. c. 10. §. 5. This as it is like what Ol. Magnus saith, so is a Confirmation of it. The Archbishop’s Account is, In Septentrionalibus aquis sæpius casu Piscatoris extrahuntur Hirundines, in modum conglemeratæ massæ, quæ ore ad os, & alâ ad alam, & pede ad pedem post principium autumni sese inter cannas descensuræ colligârunt.——Massa autem illa per imperitos adolescentes——extracta, atque in æstuaria portata, caloris accessu Hirundines resolutæ, volare quidem incipiunt, sed exiguo tempore durant. Ol. Mag. Hist. L. 19. c. 20.

Since my penning this Note, we had, at a Meeting of the Royal-Society, Feb. 12. 1712-13. a farther Confirmation of Swallows retiring under Water in Winter, from Dr. Golas, a Person very curious in these Matters; who speaking of their Way of Fishing in the northern Parts, by breaking Holes, and drawing their Nets under the Ice, saith, that he saw sixteen Swallows so drawn out of the Lake of Samrodt, and about Thirty out of the King’s great Pond in Rosineilen; and that at Schlebitten, near an House of the Earl of Dohna, he saw two Swallows just come out of the Waters, that could scarce stand, being very wet and weak, with their Wings hanging on the Ground: And that he hath observ’d the Swallows to be often weak for some Days after their Appearance.