The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-04 00:00:00

MIGRATION OF SWALLOWS.

(From the Sheffield Mercury.)
It is a feet, which has not been 'satisfactorily accounted
for by ornithologists, that the number of swallows which
visit this island are not near so numerous as they formerly
were; and this is the case, not only in• this neighbourhood,
but throughout the country.. The little that is, satisfac-
torily known concerning the parts to which they emigrate,
and the many.staternents respecting their annual migra-
tion, not only serves to show that something remains to be
discovered respecting these interesting miters, but per-
haps prevents us from ascertaining the causes of the de-
crease in their numbers. In the month of September,
1815, great numbers of these birds congregated near Bo-
therhatn, previous to their departure for a more genial cli-
mate. Their appearance was very extraordinary, and at-
tracted much attention. We extract some account of this
vast assemblage of the feathered race, from an elegantly
written little work, published on the occasion, by the Rev.
Thomas Rlackley, vicar of Rotherham, containing "Obser-
vations and Reflections" on this circumstance

" Early in the month of September, 1815, that beau-
tiful and social tribe of the fenthered race began to as-
semble in the neighbourhood of Rotberam, at the 'Willow-
gtiroonuitio a
d, near
warmer
the Glass-house,
and their
se,prepara preparatory
wereriytoetheir m
daily
augmented, until they became a vast flock, which no man
could easily number—thousands upon thousands, tens of
thousands, and myriads—so great, indeed, that the spec-
tator would almost have concluded that the whole of the
swallow race were there collected in one huge host. It
was their manner, while there, to rise from the willows in
the morning, a little before six o'clock, when their thick
columns literally darkened the sky. Their divisions were
formed into four, five, and sometimes into six grand wings,
each of these filing off, and taking a different route
---o
east, another west, another south, and so on ; as if not
only to be equally dispersed throughout the country, to
provide food for their numerous troops; but also to collect
with them whatever of their fellows, or straggling Parti"'
might be still left behind. . Just before the respective
columns erase, a few birds might be observed first to nva'
don at different points, darting through their massy raki,,
these appeared like officers giving the *bid of common'
their station, and continued coining
In the evening, about five o'clock, they to return W
until nearly dark. It was here that you. might see then'
go through their various aerial evolutions,- in many
.4 an
tive ring and airy gambol-:strengthening their pinions..c
journey ;
these playful feats for their long. etherial ;
contentment and cheerfulness reigned in every breast,
VMS expressed in their evening song by a thousand
liedeliiis,
ing twitters from their little throats, as they clit„.tiiightly
frolicked in the last beams of the setting sins 1~ of
skimmed the surface of the in, from all quarters,
glassy Pool.
those that had already gained the
rtiar of the
murmur of a distant waterfall, or the dying
treating billow on the sea beach.
ad to,
ven
" The verdant enamel of .summer had afro the
place to the warm and mellow tints of autumn, and
bile the
leaves were now fast falling from their branches, Aden
naked tops of many of the trees appeared-4crs
sheaves were safely lodged in the barns, and 0, _ !c.:lnd
had, for this year, shouted their harvest home-umoif ehe
misty mornings now succeeded, the certain preogrood by
willows sound
approach of winter. These omens were oadersainuip on
the swallows as the route for their march; actor broke
the morning of the 7th of October, their mightl'at, sad,
up their encampment, debouched from their re"‘",
then
&-
rising, covered the Heavens with their legions; t"e
rected by an unerring guide, took their trackless wal'oir
the morning of their going, when they ascended Itemdifids
temporary abode, they did not, as they had wont tool°, , but
into different columns, and take each a different rout! said
went off in one vast body, bearing to the south. It's,,isd
that they would have gone sooner, but for a contrstY
which had some time prevailed: that on the day, bcfly-e-
took their departure, the wind got round, and the ;1,,
j)4d:le
able breeze was immediately embraced by them. On
day of their flight, they left behind them about a IntlP:h,,
of their comnions ; whether they were shunbereo In or
camp, and so had missed the going of their troops'.
Whether they were left as the rear guard, it is 11° orte
to ascertain ; they remained, however, till the next dent
ing, when the greater part of them mounted on OW o'o
pinions, to follow, as it should seem, the celestial Its
of their departed legions. After these, a few lit"'"'„, 'to
only remained ; these may be the sick or too Yal7(set
attempt so great an expedition ; whether this vela i,f
tbel
or not, they did not remain after the next (LT- ace Of
did not follow their army, yet the dreary sPP7-ir kin*
their depopulated camp, and their affection for tDelore
dred, might influence them to attempt it, or to eiP
warmer and a safer retreat."