THE HOUSE-MARTIN 



Chelidon urbica 



Although the House- Martin is even a more fitful 

 singer than the Swallow, we are loth to exclude such 

 a pretty and familiar species. It is distinguished 

 readily from the Swallow, even at a long distance, 

 by the white rump and short tail. It is even more 

 widely and generally distributed over the British 

 Islands, breeding as far north as the Shetlands. 

 Its extra British summer range includes most of 

 continental Europe, in the west to the North Cape, 

 but in the east to limits which are at present some- 

 what ill-defined. Eastwards it includes Asia Minor, 

 Palestine, and Persia, but the Siberian limits beyond 

 the Urals are again uncertain. South of the Medi- 

 terranean the summer range includes North-west 

 Africa, but in Egypt and Nubia the bird is only 

 known as a passing migrant. The winter range 

 of this Martin includes North-west India and the 

 African portion of the Inter-Tropical Realm. 



The House-Martin reaches its British haunts in 



