600 HIRUNDO RIPARIA. 



But see ! there comes a Bank Martin, skimming along the 

 surface of the brook, gliding from side to side, deviating by 

 starts, now sweeping over the bank, wheeling across the road, 

 making an excursion over the corn-field, then rising perpendi- 

 cularly, slanting away down the wind, fluttering among the 

 spikes of the long grass, and shooting off into the midst of a 

 multitude of its fellows. They advance towards us, wheeling 

 and gliding in untraceable mazes. See how beautifully they 

 curve up against the face of the rock ; there one has plunged 

 into its hole in the bank, — another — several at once ; some 

 come out, and others cling to the pebbly surface. In this very 

 spot an acquaintance of mine once saw a pair of magpies prowl- 

 ing about, and endeavouring to mine out the young from one 

 of the uppermost holes, when the Swallows, chattering in 

 fierce anger, attacked them in a body, and put them to flight. 



Sparrows sometimes appropriate the nests of the Bank Swal- 

 lows to themselves, and notwithstanding the pertinacious at- 

 tacks of the owners and their friends, maintain their conquest. 

 I have seen a colony thus located in a quarry on Blackford 

 Hill, near Edinburgh. 



This species is much infested by fleas, witji which the nests 

 often swarm. 



The young are abroad about the end of June, and the second 

 brood in August. Very large flocks may be seen over lakes 

 and rivers about this season, being attracted by the abundance 

 of insects ; but this species does not appear to collect in great 

 numbers, like the others, previous to its departure, which takes 

 place about the middle of September. 



The following account of the manner in which the excava- 

 tions are made by the Bank Swallows, having been sent to me 

 by Mr Robert Dick Duncan, a keen and accurate observer, I 

 have pleasure in presenting to my readers, as he has watched 

 the process more accurately than I have had an opportunity of 

 doing: " The Sand Martins, when they arriv^e in our district, 

 on the banks of the Almond, in Linlithgowshire, amuse them- 

 selves for a few days in skimming the surface of the deep pools, 

 and recognising the places which were their favourite haunts 

 during the preceding year. After these pleasures have been 



