NATUR.VL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 87 



CHIMNEY SWALLOW. 



niRUNDO RUSTIC A, Linnaeus. 



I have not observed this species to be abundant, except at 

 Bonar, in the east. In the west and north they arrive much later 

 than ahnost anywhere else in Scotland. At Tongue, where they 

 breed almost every year, they arrive, Mr J. Crawford informs me, 

 about 28th April; but, in the west, we would consider this a very 

 early date for their appearance ; indeed, in cold backward springs, 

 few are visible there at all, and half-a-dozen Swallows in that 

 district may almost be considered to constitute a summer. Such 

 at least have been the results of my personal observations during 

 five years. At Scowrie they seem to be more regular in their 

 visits, but scarcely more abundant. 



Since the above was first written, Mr J. Crawford has informed 

 me that he did not observe the Swallows nesting in their old 

 haunts near Tongue during the years 1867 and 1868, but that 

 they reappeared in 1869. 



HOUSE MARTIN. 



HIRUNDO URBICA, Linnaeus. 



A considerable number breed on the limestone rocks in Assynt, 

 as Mr Selby informs us, and on one part of these rocks I have 

 frequently seen the remains of old nests ; but, during three years, 

 I have not seen above a dozen House Martins altogether, and so 

 late are these birds of appearing, that I have never succeeded in 

 obtaining a single egg, though generally present there between the 

 1st May and the 10th June. Our landlord at Inchnadamph 

 always said, " They have not come yet," and at the same time 

 assured me that their numbers have of late years much decreased. 

 I have also observed this decrease in several other localities in 

 Scotland. The House Martin is much earlier in its arrival, and 

 much more abundant, at Bonar, and in the east of the county 

 generally. At Tongue, Mr Crawford gives the date of its arrival 

 '' at the end of April ; " and as a rule, I have found that many 

 birds breed at Tongue, though further north, considerably earlier 

 than in the west, this being noticeable amongst both migrants and 

 residents. This species was also found breeding in the caves close 

 to Durness, in some numbers, by Mr St. John (" Tour in Suther- 

 land," Vol. i., p. 85). 



