Copy 1, Volume 1

History of British birds / The figures engraved on wood by T. Bewick.

  • Thomas Bewick
Date:
1797-1804
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of British birds / The figures engraved on wood by T. Bewick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/382
    that their immerfion is preceded by a long or dirge, which lafl.8 more than a quarter of an hour; that fometimes they lay hold on a ftraw with their bills, and plunge down in fociety; and that others form a large mafs, by clinging together by the feet, and in this manner commit themfelves to the deep. It requires no great depth of reafoning to refute fuch palpable abfurdities, or to lhcw the phyfical impoffibility of a body, fpecifically lighter than water, employing another body lighter than itfelf for the purpofe of immerfion : But, admitting the poffibility of this curious mode of immerfion, it is by no means probable that Swallows, or any other animal in a torpid date, can exift for any length of time in an element to which they have never been accuftomed, and are befides totally unprovided by Nature with organs fuited to fuch a mode of fubfiftence. The celebrated Mr John Hunter informs us, “ that he had differed many Swallows, but found nothing in them different from other birds as to the organs of refpirationand therefore concludes that it is highly abfurd to fuppofe, that terreftrial ani- mals can remain any long time under water without being drowned. It muff not, however, be denied that Swallows have been fome- times found in a torpid ftate during the winter months ; but fuch inftances are by no means common, and will not fupport the in- ference, that, if any of them can furvive the winter in that ftate, the whole fpccies is preferved in the fame manner.* That other * There arc various inftances on record, which bear the ftrongeft marks of Veracity, of Ssvallovvs having been taken out of water, and of their having been fo far recovered by warmth as to exhibit evident figns of life, fo as even to fly about for a (hurt fpace of time. But whilft we admit the fadt, we are not inclined to allow the concluflon generally drawn from it, viz. that Swallows, at the time of their difappcarance, fre- quently immerfe themfelves in feas, lakes, and rivers, and at the proper fcafon emerge and rc-aflinnc the ordinary functions of life and anima- tion ; for, it fliould be obrerved, that in thofe inftances which have been the beft authenticated, [Sec Forftcr’s Tranflation of Kalm’s Travels into North America, p. 140-note.] it appears, that the Swallows fo taken up were generally found entangled antongft reeds and rufhes, by the fidcs, or in the fhalloweft parts, of the lakes or rivers where they happened to be difeovered, and that, having been brought to life fo far as to fly about.