The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-08-25

A few days ago, there might have been OBJ |
served great commotion among those cheerful
companions Of our summer days. the martins. |
They assembled in large iocks upon the trees,
ard ell seemed full Of activity and excitement.
They would fly off to some distance from the
tree which they had selected for their rendsz-
vous, and then return as If 10th to leave it,
seemed TO be particularly excited--the next
morning not martin was to be seen. They
have left Us till the return of Spring
The periodical migration Of birds is one Of
the most remarkable phenomena in natural his
tory. The birds Of passage have an accurate
knowledge of "the times anG seasons" and
when the summer is about to close in the place
they have chosen fer time. they take their
| flight TO other climss where a new summer fur
nishes warmth and food. The idea Of winter
is unknown to them from experience; yet they
know there is something for them to avoid. The
same feeling animates every bosom belonging to
the species. Every breast seems to be filled with
the poetic longing that the human being feels
for better state of things. tgs
The wonderful feeling that urges the bird to
change It's home as circumstances demand, is
called Instincts term which, like many Others
in common use, serves only to conceal human
ignorance. What Ia the nature Of that Instinct
no one knows. The effect seems like period.
ical miracles direct interposition of Provi.
dence.
1 . h. al k I'D
White, the author OF the "Natural History Of
Selbcrne''-have supposed that martins and
other birds belonging to the swallow tribe re-
main in torpid state during the winter, like
the bat. The burrows Of the sand martin have
been explored in the winter In order TO discover
To avoid the supposed difficulties in the way Of
migration, it has been conjectured that the
swallows 60 under water, and pass their winters
there, torpid and submerged. How the birds
could sink themselves, or how their plumage
could be of use after six months soaking. has
not been explained. Wilson treats this notion
with the greatest contempt Speaking of the
barn swallow, he exclaims-
"Yet this little ,oinged suspA, if may so
speak, who, in a few days, and at will, can pass
from the borders Of the Arctic regions to the
torrid zone, is forced, when winter approaches,
to descend to the bottoms Of lakes, rivers and
mill ponds, to bury itself in the mud with cells
and swapping turtles; or to creap inglOriously
into cavern, rat hole, or hollow tree, there
to doIe with snakes, toads and other reptiles,
until the return of spring! Is not this true, We
wise men of Europe and America, who have
published so many credible narratives on this
subject7"
| Why do the martins leave us so sooni Au.
dubon, after having devoted a good deal Of
attention to the matter, came TO the conclusion
that those birds which leave us soonest travel
farthest South. At New Orleans, he found the
kirundO riridis, or white-bellied swallow, during
the winter; but the hirundo purpurea, or mar
tin, did not appear till the last of January
This shows that the martin had gone farther
South than the white bellied swallow.
About the 25th Of March these universal
fsvorites will be with us again. Unerring in
siinct will lead those which were with US the
present summer to the same place.
| ''sure something more TO thee is given
Than myuads Of the festh0red TAce-
| Some 81 divine, some spark from Heaven,
| That guides thy flight from place TO place.
| still freely come, still freely go,
| And blessings crown they vigorous wing
Nay thy swift flight meet no rude foe,
| Delightful messenger Of spTingl"