That come before the swallowu dares. Shak. -The swallows make of celandine, and the linnet of euphrafia. More.

Swallows fleet foar high and sport in air. Gay. (2.) SWALLOW, in ornithology. See HIRUNDo.) Concerning thefe birds, a queftion has oft been difcuffed, What becomes of them in winter? Upon this fubject there are three opinions. Some fay that they migrate to a warmer climate; fome that they retire to hollow trees and caverns, where they lie in a torpid state; and others affirm that they lie in the fame ftate in the bottom of lakes and under the ice. The firft opinion is fupported by Marfigli, Ray, Willoughby, Catef by, Reamur, Adanfon, Buffon, &c. The firft and 2d opinions are both adopted by Pennant and White. The 3d is fanctioned by Scheffer, Hevelius, Derham, Klein, Ellis, Linnæus, Kalm: and the 2d and 3d have been ftrongly defended by the Hon. Daines Barrington. Those who affert that swallows migrate to a warmer country in winter, argue, That many birds migrate, is a fact fully proved by the obfervations of natural hiftorians. (See MIGRATION, § 2.) Is it not more probable, therefore, that fwallows, which difappear regularly every feafon, retire to fome other country, than that they lie in a ftate of torpor in caverns or lakes? But this opinion is founded on facts. We often fee them collected in great flocks on churches, rocks, and trees, about the time when they annually disappear. The direction of their flight has been obferved to be to the fouthward. Mr White, the ingenious hiftorian of Selborne, travelling near the coaft of the British Channel one morning early, faw a flock of fwallows take their departure, with an easy and placid flight towards the fea. Mr Lafkey of Exeter observed the direction which a flock of fwallows took in autumn $793. On the 22d Sept, about 7 A. M. the wind

being eafterly, accompanied with a cold drizzling rain, Mr Lafskey's house was entirely covered with houfe fwallows. At intervals large flocks arrived and joined the main body, and at their arrival an unufual chirping commenced. The appearance of the whole company was fo lethargic, that he found it an eafy matter to catch a confiderable number of them, which he kept in a room all that day. By heating the room they all revived: he opened four of them, and found their stomachs quite full. The main body occupied the house top all day, except for two hours. About half an hour after 9 A. M. the 23d, there was a great commotion, with very loud chirping, and within a few minutes after, the whole multitude took their flight, in a SE. direction, having afcended to a great height in the atmosphere. He let go the birds which he had caught, at certain in. tervals till four o'clock, and they all fled toward the fame quarter. They have also been found on their paffage at a great distance from land. Mr Adanfon informs us, that about 50 leagues from the coaft of Senegal 4 fwallows fettled upon the fhip on the 6th October; that these birds were taken; and that he knew them to be European fwallows, which, he conjectures, were returning to the coaft of Africa. Sir Charles Wager fays, "Re turning home, in fpring, as I came into foundings in our channel, a great flock of swallows came and fettled on all my rigging; every rope was covered, they hung on one another like a fwarm of bees; the decks and carving were filled with them. They feemed almost famished and spent, and were only feathers and bones; but, being recruited with a night's reft, took their flight in the morning." This vaft fatigue proves that their journey must have been very great, confidering their amazing swiftnefs, in all probability they had croffed the Atlantic ocean, and were returning from the fhores of Senegal, or other parts of Africa; fo that this account from that most able and honeft feaman, confirms the latter information of Mr Adanfon. Mr Bruce alfo mentions in his travels, that in Abyffinia, there is a great variety of fwallows; but "thofe that are common in Europe appear in paffage at the very feafon when they take their flight from thence. We faw the greateft part of them in the island of Mafuah, where they lighted and tarried two days, and then proceeded with moon light to the SW." Mr Kalm acknowledges, that in croffing the Atlantic from Europe, a fwallow lighted on the fhip on the 2d Sept. when it had paffed only two 3ds of the ocean. Since, therefore, fwallows have been seen affembled in great flocks in autumn flying off in company towards fouthern climes, tince they have been found both in their paffage from Europe and returning again, can there be any doubt of their annual migration? (See MIGRA TION, § 2.) The ad notion (fays Mr Pennant) has great antiquity on its fide. Ariftotle and Pli. ny fay, that Iwallows do not remove very far from their fummer habitation, but winter in the hollows of rocks, and during that time lose their feathers. Of late feveral proofs have been brought of fome fpecies having been discovered in a torpid ftate. Mr Collinfon mentions three gentlemen, eye-witneffes to numbers of fand martins being

drawa

drawn out of a cliff on the Rhine, in March 1762. And the Hon. Daines Barrington communicated the following fact, on the authority of the late Lord Belhaven, That numbers of fwallows have been found in old dry walls and in fand hills near his Lordship's feat in East Lothian; from year to year; and that when they were expofed to the warmth of a fire they revived. We have heard of the fame annual difcoveries near Morpeth, in Northumberland. Others prove the refidence of those birds in a torpid ftate during winter. First, In the chalky cliffs of Suffex; as was feen on the fall of a great fragment fome years ago. 2. In a decayed hollow tree that was cut down, near Dolgelli, in Merionethshire. 3. In a cliff, near Whitby, Yorkshire; where, on digging out a fox whole bushels of fwallows were found in a torpid condition. 4. The rev. Mr Conway of Sychton, Flintshire, a few years age, on looking down an old lead mine in that county, obferved numbers of fwallows clinging to the timbers of the fhaft, feemingly asleep; and on flinging fome gravel on them they just moved, but never attempted to fly: this was between All Saints and Chrifimas. From all these facts, we must conclude, that one part of the fwallow tribe migrate, and that others have their winter quarters near home. The 3d opinion is that of Mr Kalm, who pleads for their immer fion in water; and mentions the following facts: "Dr Wallerius, the celebrated Swedish chemift, informs us, That he has feen, more than once, fwallows affembling on a reed till they were all immerfed and went to the bottom; this being preceded by a dirge of a quarter of an hour's length. He had feen a fwallow caught during winter out of a lake with a net, drawn as is common in northern countries, under the ice; this bird was brought into a warm room, revived, fluttered about, and foon after died. Mr Klein, ap. plied to many farmers general of the king of Pruf fa's domaine, who had great lakes in their dif. tricts, the fishery in them being a part of the revenue. All the people that were queftioned made affidavits upon oath before the magiftrates. 1. The mother of the countefs of Lehndorf faid, that he had feen a bundle of fwaliows brought from the Frifhe-Hoff (a lake communicating with the Baltic at Piflau), which, when brought into a moderately warm room, revived and fluttered about. 2. Count Schileben gave an inftrument on ftamped paper, importing, that by fishing on the lake belonging to his eftate of Gerdauen in winter, he faw feveral fwallows caught in the net, one of which he took up in his hand, brought it into a warm room, where it lay about an hour, when it began to fir, and half an hour after it Blew about in the room." Mr Kalm mentions fimilar affidavits made by four farmers; and at laft adds, " 7thly, I can reckon myself (fays our author) among the eye-witneffes of this paradox of natural hiftory. In 1735, being a boy, I faw feveral fwallows brought in winter by the fifher. men from the Viftula to my father's houfe; where two of them were brought into a warm room, revived and flew about. I faw them feveral times fettling on the warm ftove, and I recollect well, that the fame forenoon they died, and I had them, when dead, in my hand. In Jan. 1754, being

As

covered with ice, I ordered the fishermen to fi therein, and in my prefence feveral fwallows were taken, which the fishermen threw in again; but one I took up myfelf, brought it home, five miles from thence, and it revived, but died about an hour after. Thefe are facts attefted by people of the highest quality. It is therefore incontestably true, that fwallows retire in the northern countries, during winter, into the water, and stay there in a torpid ftate till the return of warmth revives them again in spring. The swallows in Spain, Italy, France, and perhaps fome from England, remove to warmer climates; fome English ones, and fome in Germany and other mild coun tries retire into clefts and holes in rocks, and remain there in a torpid state. In the colder northern counties the (wallows immerfe in the fea, in lakes, and rivers; and remain in a torpid ftate, under ice, during winter. It is objected, Why do not rapacious fifh, and aquatic quadrupeds and birds, devour these swallows? The answer is obvious; fwallows choose only such places in the water for their winter retreat as are near reeds and rushes; fo that finking down there between them and their roots they are fecured against their enemies. to the argument taken from their being fo long under water without corruption, there is a real difference between animals fuffocated in water and animals being torpid therein. Natural hiftory ought to be ftudied as a collection of facts. There are five fpecies of fwallows which vifit Britain during fummer; the common swallow, the martin, fand martin, fwift, and goat-fucker. 1. The common fwallow frequents almoft every part of the old continent; being known (fays Dr Latham) from Norway to the Cape of Good Hope on the one fide, and from Kamtfchatka to India and Japan on the other. It is alfo found in all parts of N. America, and in feveral Weft Indian iflards. In Europe it disappears during winter It appears generally a little after the vernal equinox; but rather earlier in the fouthern, and later in the northern latitudes. It adheres to the ufual feafons with much regularity. In the warm fpring of 1774 they appeared no earlier than ufual. They remain in fome warm countries the whole year. Kolben affures us that this is the cafe at the Cape of Good Hope. Some birds of this fpecies live, during winter, even in Europe; e. g. on the coaft of Genoa. 2. The martins are alfo widely diffused through the old continent. 3. The sand martins are found in every part of Europe, and often fpend the winter in Malta. 4. The savift vifits the whole continent of Europe; has also been ob ferved at the Cape of Good Hope, and in Carolina in North America. 5. The goat suckers are not very common, yet, are found in every country between Sweden and Africa: alfo in India Mr Markwick of Catsfield, near Battle in Suffex, has drawn up an accurate table, expreffing the day of the month on which the migratory birds appeared in fpring, and difappeared in autumn, for 16 years, from 1766 to 1783, at Catsfield. Were tables of the fame kind made in every different country, particularly within the torrid zone, it would be easy to determine the question which we have been confidering. To many, perhaps, it may not appear of fo much importance as to be

worth

worth the labonr. But the inquiry must be highly gratifying to every mind that admires the wifdom of the Great Architect of nature. The inftinct of the swallow is indeed wonderful: it appears among us juft at the time when infects become numerous; and it continues with us during the hot weather, to prevent them from multiplying too much. It disappears when thefe infects are no longer troublesome. It is never found in folitude; it is the friend of man, and always takes up its refidence with us, to protect us from being annoyed with fwarms of infects.

(3.) * SWALLOW. n. f. [from the verb.] The throat; voracity.-Had this man of merit and mortification been called to account for his ungodly fwallow, in gorging down the estates of helpless widows and orphans, he would have told them that it was all for charitable ufes. South.

(4.) SWALLOW, in geography, an island in the S. Pacific Ocean, difcovered by Roggewins in 1722. Lon. 162. 30. E. of Paris. Lat. 10. o. S.

(5.) SWALLOW BAY, a bay on the N. coaft of Egmont Illand, between Hanway's Point and SWALLOW POINT, N° 7.

(6.) SWALLOW ISLAND, one of QUEEN CHARLOTTE'S ISLANDS in the South Sea; about 18 miles long. Lon. 164. 58. E. Lat. 1o. 8. S. (7.) SWALLOW POINT, a cape on the N. coaft of Egmont Inland in the S. Pacific Ocean. Lon. 164. 46. E. Lat. 10. 42. S.

To SWALLOW. v. a. [ fwelgan, Sax. favelgen, Dutch.] 1. To take down the throat.

Capital crimes chew'd, swallow'd, and digefted,

Appear before us?

Shak. -Men muft fwallow down opinions, as filly people do empiricks pills. Locke. 2. To receive without examination.-Judge of it as a matter of reason, and not swallow it as a matter of faith. Locke. 3. To engrofs; to appropriate; often with up emphatical.-Far be it from me, that I should fallow up or deftroy. 2. Sam.-Homer has walloved up the honour of those who fucceeded him. Pope. 4. To abforb; to take in; to fink in any abyss; to engulph: with up.

The yefty waves Confound and fwallow navigation up. Shak. I may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb Of this deep pit, poor Baffianus' grave. Shak. -Death is fallow'd up in victory. 1 Cor. xv. 54. -If the earth open her mouth and swallow them up, ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord. Numb. xvi.

Milton.

In bogs fwallow'd up and loft. He had many things from us, not that they -would favallow up our understanding, but divert our attention from what is more important. De eay of Piety.

Nature would abhor

To be forced back again upon herself,
And like a whirlpool swallow her own ftreams.
Dryden.

Should not the fad occafion swallow up My other cares and draw them all into it? Addifon. 5. To occupy.-The neceffary provifion for life fwallows the greatest part of their time. 6. To feize and wale.

Corruption fwallow'd what the liberal hand Of bounty featter❜d. Thomfor 7. To engross; to engage completely.-The prieft and the prophet are swallowed up of wine. Ija. 8. Swallow implies, in all its figurative fealer, fome naufeous or contemptuous ideas, fomething of groffnefs or of folly.

SWALLOW'S TAIL, in fortification, is a fingle tenaille, which is narrower towards the place than toward the country.

(1.) * SWALLOWTAIL. h.. A fpecies of willow. The fhining willow they call swallowtail Lacon.

(2.) SWALLOWTAIL is à fpecies of SALIX. (1.) SWALLOWWORT. n. f. [afclepias] À plant.

(2.) SWALLOW-WORT, in botany. See ASCLE

PÍAS.

SWALLY, a town of Hindoftan, in the Decan, and province of Cambaya, with a good harbour; 12 or 15 miles NW. of Surat. Lon. 72. 15. E. Lat. 21. 18. N.

SWALM, a town of France, in the dep. of the Roer, and cidevant province of Guelderland; 41 miles N. of Ruremond.

(1.) SWAM. The preterite of swim. (2.) SWAM, in geography, a fort at the mouth of the Medway, near Sheernefs. See MEDWAY, N° 1.

SWAMMERDAM, John, a celebrated natural philofopher, was the son of John James Swanmerdam, an apothecary and famous naturalist of Amfterdam, and born in 1637. His father intended him for the church, and with this view had him inftructed in Latin and Greek; but he preferred phyfic. Being kept at home till he fhould engage in that ftudy, he was often employed in cleaning his father's curiofities, and putting every thing in order. This inspired him with an early tafte for natural hiftory; fo that he foon began to make a collection of his own. When grown up, he attended to his anatomical and medical ftudies; but spent part of the day and the night in difcovering, catching, and examining the flying infects of Holland, Guelderland, and Utrecht. Thus initiated in natural hiftory, he went to the university of Leyden in 1651; and in 1663 was admitted a candidate of phyfic. While ftudying anatomy, he confidered how the parts of the body, prepared by diffection, could be preferved for anatomical demonftration; and he fucceeded as he had done before in his nice contrivances for diffecting the minutelt infects. He then went to France, where he spent fome time at Saumur, and became acquainted with feveral learned men. In 1667 he returned to Leyden, and took his degree of M. D. l 1668, the grand duke of Tufcany being in Hol land, came to view the museum of our auther and his father; and Swammerdam made fome anatomical diffections of infects in his prefence. He was ftruck with admiration at his great skil in managing them; and proving that the future butterfly lay with all its parts neatly folded up in a caterpillar, by removing the integuments, and exhibiting all its parts, however minute, with incredible ingenuity, by inftruments or inconceivable finepels. The duke offered him 12,000 Borina

for his collection, on condition of his removing them into Tufeany, and refiding at the court of Florence; but Swammerdam declined. In 1663, he published a General Hiftory of Infects. About this time bis father, offended at his neglecting the practice of phyfic, would neither fupply him with money nor clothes. This reduced him to fome difficulties. In 1675, he published his Hif tory of the Ephemeras; and his father dying in 1676, left him a fortune; but he died in 1682, aged only 45. Gabius tranflated all his works from the Dutch into Latin, from which they were tranflated into English, in folio, in 1748. See ANATOMY, Index. Boerhaave wrote his life.

(1.) * SWAMP. n. f. [swamms, Goth. fwam, Saxon; framm, Iflandick; fwamme, Dutch; fump, Danith; favamp, Swedish] A marsh; a bog; a fen.

(2, 3) SWAMP, in geography. See DISMAL, N° 2, 3.

(4) SWAMP, GREAT DISMAL. See DISMAL,

ny

* SWAMPY. adj. [from Swamp.] Boggy; fenSwampy fens brave deftructive myriads. Thomfon. SWAMSCOT, or EXETER, or Great River, a river of New Hampshire, which rifes in Chefter county, and after running through Sandown, PopTin, Brentwood, and great part of Exeter town hips, during which courfe it turns many mills, falls over a cataract 30 roods high, and joins the tide from PISCATAQUA harbour, in the centre of the township of Exeter. A fmall river falls into it, a little above Exeter.

(1.) SWAN, n. S. [fwan, Sax. fuan, Danifh; fan, Dutch; egenus, Latin. The fwan is a large water fowl, that has a long neck, and is very white, excepting when it is young. Its legs and feet are black, as is its bill, which is like that of a goofe, but fomething rounder, and a little hooked at the lower end of it; the two fides below its eyes are black and fhining like ebony. Swans ufe wings like fails, which catch the wind, fo that they are driven along in the water. They feed upon herbs and fome forts of grain like a goofe, and fore are faid to have lived 300 years. There is a fpecies of fwans with the feathers of their heads, towards the breaft, marked at the ends with a gold colour inclining to red. The fwan is reckoned by Mofes among the unclean creatures; but it was confecrated to Apollo the god of mufick, because it was faid to fing melodiously when it was near expiring; a tradition generally received, but fabulous. Calmet.

Compare her face with fome that I fhall fhow,

And I will make thee think thy favan a crow,

Shak. Let mufick found, while he doth make his choice;

Then if he lofe, he makes a fan like end.

Shak. A jarring found refults, and mingles in the iky,

Like that of fans remurm'ring to the floods. VOL. XXII. PART.

Dryden.

-The idea, which an Englishman fignifies by the name favan, is a white colour, long neck, black beak, black legs, and whole feet, and all these of a certain fize, with a power of fwimming in the water, and making a certain kind of noise. Locke.

(2.) SWAN. See ANAS, § 15, N° 1. and 2. It is now afcertained, beyond the poflibility of doubt, that there are black fans, of equal fize and the fame habitudes with the common white fwans of this ifland. Thefe fowls have been seen chiefly in New Holland; and Captain Vancouver, when there, faw feveral of them in very stately attitudes fwimming on the water, and, when flying, dif covering the under part of their wings and breafts to be white. Black fwans were likewife feen in New Holland by Gov. Philips, Capt. White, and by a Dutch navigator, fo long ago as in 16975 Gov. Philips defcribes the black fwan as a very noble bird, larger than the common fwan and equally beautiful in form. Mr White indeed fays, that its fize is not quite equal to that of the European swan; but both agree with Capt. Vancouver in mentioning fome white feathers in ita wings.

(3-5.) SWAN, SWEYN, SUENO, or SWENO, I. H. and III. 3 kings of Denmark. See DENMARK, §5; ENGLAND, § 16-18, and SWENO.

(6.) SWAN ISLAND, an island of the United States, in Maine, in the Kennebeck, much frequented by fwans; 4 miles S. of Pounalsburg. (7.) SWAN ISLAND, an island of Ireland, in Lough Strangford, Down county, near Down Patrick. (8.) SWAN LAKE, a lake of Canada; 171 miles. NNW. of Quebec.

SWANAGE BAY, a bay of the English Channel, on the coaft of Dorchefter, S. of Studland Bay.

SWANEMOTE, n.. See FOREST-COURTS, and SWAINMOTE.

SWANNANO, a river of Tenneffee, the E. head-water of French Broad River.

SWANPAN, or Chinese ABACUS, an inftrument for performing arithmetical operations, defcribed by Du Halde in his History of China. It is compofed of a fmall board, croffed with 10 or 12 parallel rods or wires, each ftrung with ivory balls, which are fo divided by a partition in the middle, that two are on one fide of it, and five on the other. The two on the upper part ftand each for five units, and each of the five in the lower part for one. "In joining and feparating thefe balls, they reckon much as we do with counters; but, according to our author, more expe ditiously than Europeans do even with figures." This is hardly credible; but if all the Chinese weights and measures be decimally divided, it is eafy to conceive how computation may be made by this inftrument very expeditiously. See BLIND, 15-18.

SWANSBOROUGH, a city of N. Carolina, the capital of Wilmington diftrict, and of Onflow county. It has a court-house, and a court is held in it, the 2d Monday in Jan. April, July, and O&.

SWANSCOMB, a small town of England, in Kent, 2 miles W. by S. of Gravefend; memorable for being the place where the Kentish patriots, D with

SWARLAN, a river of Sweden, in Nericia, which runs into Lake Hielmas, near Orebro. * SWARM. n. s. [swearm, Saxon; sauerm, Dutch.] 1. A great body or number of bees, or other small animals, particularly thofe of bees that migrate from the hive.

with boughs in their hands like a moving wood, furprifed William the Conqueror, and, throwing down their boughs, threatened to give him battle, if he did not agree to fecure them in all their ancient cuftoms, rights, and franchifes; to which William immediately confented in confequence of which they fill retain gavel-kind and other ancient privileges enjoyed by the Saxons. (Sce GAVEL KIND.) There are relics of Danish camps and forts near it.

(1.). SWANSEA, or SWANSEY, a populous trading town of S. Wal 8, in Glamorganshire, on a bay fo named (N° 3), with a good harlour at the mouth of the Tawy, whence it is alfo named Aber Tuay. It has a great trade in coals, pot. tery, copper, and lead, which are fincited from the ores, and fent to Ireland, Bristol, and the S. of England, to which ships are conftantly failing. In 1768, 694 veffels failed from this pert; tonnage 30,651 in 1792, the number of thips was 1677, containing 74-926 tons; in September 1799, the, fhips had increated to 2590, and the tonnage to 134.264 tons. It has markets on Wednesday and Saturday, and is famed for thip-buddine. It bas an ancient castle and two churches; and joins with Cowbridge and other towns in fending a member to parliament. It is governed by a portreeve, a chief, 12 aldermen, 2 chancellors, and 60 councillors. It is 25 miles WNW. of Cowbridge, 55 E. of Haverford Weft, and 205 W. of London, Lon. 4. o. W. Lat. 51. 38. N.

(2.) SWANSEA, a town of Maffachusetts, on the Taunton; 36 miles S. of Bofton.

(3.) SWANSEA BAY, a bay of S. Wales, on the Bristol Channel, at the mouth of the Tawy, on the coat of SWANSEA, N° 1.

SWANSEY. See SWANSEA, N° 1. SWANSHALES, a town of Sweden, in W. Gothland; 25 miles WSW. of Linkioping.

SWANSKIN. . . [swan and skin.] A kind of foft flannel, imitating for warmth the down of a fwan.

SWANWICH, a town of Dorfetfhire, in Purbeck ifle; 2 miles from London.

* SWAP. adv. [ad suipa, to do at a fnatch, Inlandick.] Haftily; with hafty violence; as, he did it sevap. It feems to be of the fame original with sweep. A low word.

*To SWAP. v. a. To exchange. See To SWOP.

*SWARD. n. s. [saward, Swedish.] r. The fkin of bacon. 2. The furface of the ground; whence green sward, or green sword.-Water, kept too long, loofens and foftens the sword. Note on Tusser.

The noon of night was paft, and then the foe Came dreadlefs o'er the level sward. A. Phillips. -To plant a vineyard in July, when the earth is very dry and combustible, plow up the swarth, and burn it. Mortimer.

* SWARE. The preterite of savear. SWARKSTON, a town of England, in Derbyfhire, on the road from Derby to Afliby de la Zouch; which has a bridge over the Trent, with 39 arches, fuppofed to be the longeft in Europe, except that of Efzck, in Hungary. (See EsZEK.) It extends across the meadows about a mile; but the battlements are low.

3. To be crowded; to be over-run; to be thronged. Throughout all Ireland, every place swarms with foldiers. Spenser.-Her lower region swarms with all forts of fowl. Howel.-Thofe days swarmed with fables. Brown.

Life swarms with ills, the boldest are afraid : Where then is fafety for a tender maid?' Young. 4. To breed multitudes.

Not fo thick squarmed once the foil Bedropp'd with blood of Gorgon. Milton. 5. It is ufed in conversation for climbing a tree, by embracing it with the arms and legs.

SWART. SWARTH. adj. [swarts, Gothick; sweart, Saxon; swart, Dutch.] 1. Black; darkly brown; tawney

A nation ftrange, with visage squart. Spenser.
A man

Of swarth complexion.

Spenser Shak

I was black and savart before. No goblin, or squart fairy of the mine, Hath hurtful power o'er true virginity. Milten. 2. In Milton it feems to fignify gloomy; malig nant.