T. A. Coward

“ The discovery of masses of torpid swallows, dead or dying, by no means an unknown thing when birds are overtaken by sudden falls in temperature in autumn or by a severe setback in the spring, was to these puzzled men confirmation of their theory of hibernation. ”

“ The arguments against it are, that not a single instance of avian hibernation will stand the light of reason and investigation, and that birds are provided with the means of escaping from the cold zone and certainly nee these means. There are flightless birds, but they all live in climates in which they can exist at all seasons. As Seebohm puts it—" The hibernation of birds is a theory, the evidence in support of which has completely broken down. The migration of birds is a fact, as completely authenticated as the fact of their existence." ”

“ A myth, founded on mistaken observation as well as upon more speculation was, and to some extent still is, that the larger migrants assist the passage of the weaker ones, How else, is still asked, can weak-winged species cross the sea? It was an old legend when J. G. Gmelin heard it from the Tartars in 1740; each crane they told him look a corncrake on its beak. There are men who know the corncrake well, who believe to-day that the bird must skulk unseen through the winter, for they assert it is quite incapable of lengthy flight. ”