MARTIN 153 



observed it on May 1, 1859, at Blackbeath, and again 

 he met a pair in Lee Lane, and saw a pair building at 

 Eltham on May 12, 1861 ; another pair were hawking 

 over the houses in the Dover Eoad. In Mr. W. H. 

 Power's Birds Observed at Rainham, 1865, the Martin 

 is recorded as " first seen on April 28, 1865. These birds 

 have been accustomed to breed under the eaves of the 

 houses as long as I can remember, and probably for 

 many j^ears before that date. They have lately evinced a 

 great reluctance to abandon their ancient nesting-places, 

 and for the last two years, as fast as they completed 

 their nest, the gardener, who entertains a strong aversion 

 for them, on the ground that they make a litter while 

 feeding their young upon the path and grass in front of 

 the house, has proceeded to knock down the nests with 

 a broom or some such instrument. The Martins, how- 

 ever, with a pertinacity worthy of a better reward, have 

 constantly rebuilt. I am happy to say that I have this 

 autumn obtained a promise that they shall not be inter- 

 fered with in future." 



On April 24, 1866, Mr. M. Hutchinson saw two House- 

 Martins hawking over the upper long pond in Blackbeath 

 Park. 



Lord Clifton records, in 1867, a pure white Martin at 

 Cobham, in Kent. 



In Mr. J. Gould's Birds of Great Britain, 1873, appears 

 the following passage : " Captain King says in his Narra- 

 tive of a Journeij to the Shores of the Arctic Begions in 

 1833-35 : ' While residing in Kent about ten years ago, 

 having selected a detached nest, I fastened a small piece 

 of silk round one of the legs of its inmate then sitting 

 upon eggs. The following season the bird returned, and, 

 with the garter still affixed, was secured in the samt nest, 



