Star.
London, England, 1826-10-06 00:00:00

MIGRATION OF SWALLOWS.

It is a fact, which has not been satisfactorily accounted
Tor by ornithologists, that the number of swallows which
visit this island are not near S 3 numerous as they for-
merly were; and this is the case, not only in this neigh-
bourhood, but throughout the country. The little that
is satisfactorily known concerning the parts to which
they emigrate, and the many statements respecting their
annual migration, not only serves to shew that some-
thing remains to be discovered respecting these interest-
ing visitors, but perhaps prevents us from ascertaining
the causes of the decrease in their numbers. In the
month of September, 1815, great numbers of these birds
congregated near Rotherham, previous to their depar-
ture for a more genial climate. Their appearance was
very extraordinary, and attracted much attention. The
following account of this vast assemblage of the feathered
race, is written by the Rev. Thomas [Healey, vicar of
• Rotherham. •

d' Early in the month of September, 1815, that beau.
tiful and social tribe of the feathered race began to as-
semble In the neighbourhood of Rotherham, at the
Willow-ground, near the Glass-house, preparatory to
their migrating to a warmer climate; and their numbers
were daily augmented, until they became a vast flock,
which no man could easily number—thousands upon
thousands, tens of thoticande, and myriads—so great,
indeed, that the spectator would almost have concluded
that the whole of the swallow race were there collected
in one huge limy-. 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—one 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 parties, might
be still left behind. Just before the respective columns
arose, a few birds might be observed first in motion at
different points, darting through their massy ranks—
these
appeared like officers giving the word of command.
In the evening, about five o'clock, they began to return'
to their station, and continued coming in, from all quar-
ters, until nearly dark. It was here that you might see
them go through their various aerial evolutions, in many
a sportive ring and airy gambol—strengthening their
pinions in these playful feats for their long etherial,
journey r while contentment and cheerfulness reigned in
every breast, and was expressed in their evening song by
a thousand pleasing twitters from their little throats, as.
they cut the air and frolicked in the last beams of the
setting sun, or lightly skimmed the surface of the
glassy pool. The notes of those that had already
gained the willows sounded like the murmur of a dis-
tant waterfall, or the dying roar of the retreating billow
on the sea beach.
dd The verdant enamel of summer had already given-
place to the warm and mellow tints of autumn, and the
leaves were now fast falling from their branches, while
the naked tops of many of the trees appeared—the
golden sheaves were safely lodged in the barns, and the
reapers had, for this year, shouted their harvest home—
frosty and misty mornings now succeeded, the certain
presages of the approach of veinier. These omens were
understood by the swallows as the route for their march ;
nem diagly, on the morning of the 7th of October,.their
mighty army broke up their encampment, debauched
from their retreat, and,- rising, covered the Heavens
with their legions; thence, directed by an unerring
guide, took their trackless way. On the morning of
their going, wht n they ascended from their temporary
abode, they did not, as they had been wont to do, divide,
into different columns, and take each a different route,'
but went off in one vast body, bearing to the south. It
is said that they would have gone sooner, but 'for a
contrary u ind which had sometime prevailed ; that on'
the day before they took their departure, the wind got
round, and the favourable breeze was immediately em-,
braced by them. On the day of their flight they left
behind them about a hundred of their companions;
whether they were slumberers in the camp, and so bad
missed the going of their troops,.or whether they were
left as gibe rear guard, it is not easy to ascertain; they
remained, however, till the next morning, when the
greater part of them mounted on their fleet pinions, to
follow, as it should seem, the celestial route of their de--
parted legions. After these a few stragglers only re-
mained; these might be the sick, or too young to at-
tempt so great an expedition ; whether this was the fact
or not they did not remain after the next day. If they did
not follow their army, yet the dreary appearance of their
depopulated camp, and their affection for their kindred,
might influence them to attempt it, or to explore a
warmer and a safer retreat."
ON THE DEPARTURE OP THE SWALLOW.
Ah ± bird of passage, wand'rer go!
Thee dread's' the cold and chilling snow;
Mused to aught like winter's storm,
It suits not with thy tender form ;
To distant climes thou wiliest thy way,
Instinct commands—thou must obey.
Thy little troop, with anxious bean.
Await the signal to depart,
The youthful tribe to pilot o'er
'Where dashing waves sublimely rear;
Or, dolt thou in some cavern deep •
The winter spend in death-like sleep,
Till spring's soft breese thy slumbers break,
And vegetation is awake?
Mysterious bird! 1 km to bear .•
At morn thy lively notes so dear;
And then at eve thy-plaintive scream
As skimming o'er the limpid stream,
And dipping in thy dappled breast
To fabricate thy curious nest,
More perfect far in ev'ry part
Than man could form with nicest art.

Then fare-thee-well! perhaps I ne'er
Again thy cheering notes may hear;
For hearts now warm will throb no more
Long ere thou reac► again this shore;
Foe life is like a sunny beans
That glittery on a rapid stream,
A cloud o'enbades—lost is the trace
Of sun-beam on the darken'd space
The river still flows swiftly on,
Thus time will glide when we are gone s
isteembraees soon will fade away
That ere we sported in life's ray,
Bat while its beams an shod on me,
My ••motet Mead, 111 welcome thee !

The number of deaths at Groningen had diminished
18 in the course of the week between the 21st and 28th
of September, having been only 162 during that period.

IP DUMFRIES, OCTONER So

Saturday we had one of the most remark tble tides
tha! has been witne,sed here for a century past. In the
course of .s very brief space, the waters of the Solway
flowed and ebbed three different times ; overleaped
their former boundary the Caul, and were obset ved
agitating and mingling with the fresh in the river as
far up as Albany-Place—a circumstance almost unpre-
cedented. On Friday night, and Saturday morning,
the wind blew strong from the south west, and by halt-
past eight in the morning, the gale had increased to a'
perfect hurricane, which very fortunately was of brief
continuance. Still it was very violent while it lasted,
and the wind, anticipating the influence of the moon,
breathed with such force on the surface of the Solway,
that the tide leaped rather than flowed, and flooded the
Nith from bank to bank an hour or more befote the
regular time. The highest tides occur in the middle of
the day ; and a volume of water to the depth of 22 feet
and a half, rushing with the speed of a race horse at
the early hour of half-past nine in the morning, excited
so much wonderment among the lieges, that there was
something like a general turn out to witness so novel
and intere.ting a sight. A number of vessels took ad-
vantage of the tide, and it was beautiful to see them
borne along without a single rag of canvas, at the rate
of six or seven knots an hour. One vessel, which could
cot be stopped until she grounded within a few feet ofl
the Caul, now lies at the bottom of Mink-street—a po-
sition we never saw a sloop occupy before. Tee Caul,
itself was level with the other parts of the river, and a
common boat might have sailed over the top of it un-
der the arches of the old bridge, without feeling that
there was any breastwork or impediment in the way.

MATRIMONY.—Monday, a loving couple, verging on
the grand climacteric, presented themselves at the altar
of Hymen, at the perish church at Prestbury, and pro-
duced a licence, justificatory of their appearance, and
authorizing the solemnization of the marriage ceremony
without the dull delay of bans, of first, second, and
third time of asking. The jolly bridegroom, of the
cleaver and marrow-bone fraternity, made his engage-
ment, and plighted his troth in an audible voice; but
the diffident fair one, with all the reserve and wrinkled
blushability of silty, in faultering accents, to vowed hen
vows." Instead of repeating after the Clergyman, oo 1,
!Elizabeth, take thee, William," she said, 66 Yes, Sr, I,
!Elizabeth, take thee, William." " Yes, Sir, I do, Sir,"
were her continual responses. Being informed that she
was merely to repeat the words as delivered by the Mi-
nister, she said, oo Yes, if you please, Sir." No impres-
sion could be made upon the bride ; at length the more
tractable bridegroom said, 66 Betty, do not be soft, cos.
sant thee say, I, Elizabeth, take thee, William ; come
try, my wench." But Betty was flustered, and William
disconcerted. She could only say, di Yes, Sir." No
further progress could be made, and they left the church.
Subsequently they returned, end the requisite formali-
ties were gone through, and Betty took William for
better or worse.

A ra,her singular scene took place during the morn-
ing service, at St. Mary's, Castlegate, York, on Sunday
last.. At the usual pa( tof the service, the bans of mar-
riage between. John Dennis and Mary Wells were pub-
lished for the third and last time, and although on*
waning moon has scarcely passed since a former Mrs.
Dennis was laid under the
,gtern turf, yet when the
Minister pr( seeded to the altar to read the Communion
Service, the gallant widower led his blushing bride to
the sacred railing, and there, in the very spirit of the
Ritual, "In the sight of GOD and in the face of that
congregation, they twain were made one 'flesh."
In a neighbouring county, says the Ohio Press, a sal•
dower who had acted the part of a brute and a tyrant W
his wife went, shortly after the demise of his spouse, to
pay his respects to a buxom widow, who, like her suitor,
had not the reputation for suavity of manners and meek-
ness of temper. The-following dialogue ensued :
lie—Well, Madam, I am come to see you.
filie—Well, you may just clearout again, for I'll have nothing to
do with you. You needn't think to jet me. You abused and wigs
your first wife ; and I know what kind of a fellow you are.
He—Yes, I did ; and If I had you, rd make you tee the trig—
I'd give you a d--d good thrashing every time you deserved It. li
Strange as it may appear, they were united in the
" blissful bands of matrimony," three days afterwards!
" Was ever woman in thin humour woo'd ?
Was ever woman in this humour won?"
ON • LAZY 1/110 CAD NIS PICTURE TRIM., 4111 D MHO USED TO SEAT

NIB HUSBAND.
44 Come hither, Sir Joust, my picture is here,
What say you, my love, don it strike you?"
46 I can't say it does just at present, my dev,
But I think it soon will, it's so like you."
As a party of boys were amusing themselves at a lake
within a quarter of a mile of Lanesborough, on Ow
estate of Luca WHIT; Esq. they discovered, near a
small island in the centre of the lake, a canoe formed
out of an oak tree, 22 feet long, two feet six inches wide,
and almost 18 inches deep. It is nearly in a complete
state of preservation. The island is believed C.) hare
been formed by art, and it is supposed that this canoe
was made and used by the persons who constructed the
island as a place of refuge, at some very remote period.
Tradition is quite silent with respect to any such vessel
having been ever known in use there ; and it seems very
probable that the canoe lay in the lake for many centu-
ries. It was buried deep in the mud.
Combinations of wickedness would overwhelm the
world, by the advantage which licentious principles
afford, did not them who have long practised perfidy,
grow faithless to each other.—Johnson.
There is at present in Naples a very singular pheno-
menon, in the person of a young man, 28 years of age;
a native of 'Brischel, in Barbary, whose hair has grown
40 the extraordinary length of four feet.

.
Gaming is as much a proof of ignorance as it is of
mice; and sharpers would not frequent the hazard table
were men of fortune men of sense.

The Exeter Alfred says—Our champion wrestler,
Abraham Cann, by Friday night's post, sent a chal-
lenge to Polkinghorne, of which the following is a copy :
" Exeter, 29th September; MI6.
" Sia—Beint returned from London, in accordance with the
sentiments expressed in my letter to Mr. Lakentan, the particulars
of which I have no doubt you have heard of, I beg to inform you,
I am ready to meet you in the course of the next fourteen days, and
wrestle for one hundred sovereigns, the best of three fair back falls,
at either Plymouth, Devenport, Launceston, or Okehamptun.—
Should this meet your views, I shall feel much obliged by your
early attention, addressed for me, Moreton Inn, St. Thomas, Exe-
ter.—l remain, yours, respectfully, "ABRAHAM CANN.
" Witness to the signature of A. Cann, Tnowas Gowen."
A poor woman, eighty-five years of age, of the name
of Bremer, living in the Southgate-street, in Bury, was
scalded in a shocking manner by the falling of a tea-
kettle of boiling water. The woman had been dl for a
long time, and ber nurse baying left the room in which
she was, she fell down by the grate, and a kettle which
was on the bre fell over her. This, though not the
cause of her death, was the means of greatly accele-
rating it

POLICE INTELLIOESCE.

-.40.--
MANSION-HOUSE.

Yesterday, a man named Thomas, with three other men; in
the service of Messrs. Litster and Cu. stationers. Upper Thames-
street, were, together with a man named Broons, charged with
having robbed that firm of property to a very considerable amount.
The evidence which was long and complicated, went to prove
that several of the prisoners were in the service of the prosecutors,
had been in the habit, for several months, of taking out paper in
reams at an early hour in the morning, and carrying It to various
public-bouses, where a man named Broom was in the habit of re-
tching it. The Loan Macon; committed Broom and Thomas.

A woman was charged with lately performing an old trick with
great effect on the public. She lay down on the pavement as if in
utter exhaustion, with four starving children beside her, whilst
another poor looking woman, who appeared deeply affected at the
condition of the unhappy mother, besought the aid of the passen-
gers, or pretended to have given something, and invited others to
follow ber example.—She was remanded for the present to Bride-
well, whilst enquiries were making to ascertain whether the chil-
dren were really her own.