Perching Birds. 



87 



of the upper surface is blue black, and the under surface pure white, with the tail 

 black and only slightly forked. This is the species which frequents the suburbs of 

 our large cities, and builds a clay nest under the shelter of the eaves of our houses. 

 The House-Martin arrives about the middle of April from its winter quarters 

 in Africa, and is common all over Europe, nesting in colonies in the north 

 in the scattered farm houses. The nest is composed of small nodules of sand and 

 mud, impressed with the saliva of the birds, and forming a compact and feather- 

 lined home, with a narrow opening at the top, through which the head of the sitting 

 female is often seen peeping out to take food from its industrious mate, while later 

 on the small lieads of the young ones may be observed projecting and even 

 clamouring for the 

 insects brought to 

 the nest b}- the 

 parent birds. The 

 eggs are glossy 

 white and from four 

 to six in number. 



THE 

 SAND-MARTIN. 

 (CUvicnla riparia.) 



The httle Bank 

 Martin is the first 

 of the Swallows to 

 arrive in Great 

 Britain, making its 

 appearance early in 

 April. It is the 

 smallest of the 

 British Swallows, 



and is ot a plain brown colour, white underneath, with a brown collar across 

 the fore-neck. It nests throughout Europe and Northern Asia, and is also found 

 on the continent of North America, wintering in the Old World in Africa and India, 

 and in Central and Southern America. It is found everywhere in summer 

 throughout Great Britain, nesting in colonies in sand-banks and railway-cuttings, 

 the holes in which are e.\cavated to a considerable depth by tlie birds them- 

 selves. There, at the end of the tunnel, a scanty nest of grass is prepared witli 

 a few feathers for the lining, and four or five pure white eggs are laid. In flight and 

 in general habits the Sand-Martin resembles our other British Swallows, but is 

 more frequently seen flying over water than the other two species. In the autumn 

 vast hordes of Sand- Martins congregate to roost in the reed-bcds of our southern 



The Purple Martin. 



The Sand Martin. 



