Daniel Dobree's swallows

From Report and Transactions of the Guernsey Society of Natural Science, 1882, p. 12.

A letter printed in Science Gossip on the hibernation of swallows, written by the Reverend Daniel Dobrée, was read:

In the winter of December, 1845, I was engaged in pulling down the Rectory of my parish of Torteval, which had certainly stood since the time of Charles II. The weather was exceedingly cold, and in pulling down the roof I found six swallows in a torpid state under the old rafters and took them home in my pocket. On arriving at the Forest Rectory, where I lived, I placed them at a certain distance from the fire, to the great amusement of my wife and servants. On the following morning they were all perched on the kitchen grate, chirping as if in spring. I regret to say that subsequently, from the want of flies and other suitable aliment, which I in vain endeavoured to procure for them, they all died. They were certainly not young birds, several of them having the red throat by which an old cock swallow is always distinguished.