INSESSORES. 113 



the members of the genus Hylochdidon are to the Swallows, 

 those of the present are to the Martins, from which they 

 differ in their diminutive and bare tarsi, and from the 

 American Hylochelidons in their more feeble structure and 

 colouring. 



Sp. 56. LAGENOPLASTES ARIEL, Gould. 



Fairy Martin. 



Collocalia Ariel, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. 1842, p. 132. 

 Chelidon Ariel, Gould, Bh-ds of Australia, vol. i. Introd. p. xxix. 

 Hirundo Ariel, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 58, Hirundo, 

 sp.l7. 



Collocalia ariel, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. pi. 15. 



The Eairy Martin is dispersed over all the southern portions 

 of Australia, and, like every other member of the genus, it is 

 strictly migratory. It usually arrives in the month of August, 

 and departs again in February or March ; during this interval 

 it rears two or three broods. The Fairy Martin, unlike the 

 favourite Swallow of the Australians, although enjoying a 

 most extensive range, appears to have an antipathy to the 

 country near the sea, for neither in New South Wales nor at 

 Swan River have I ever heard of its approaching the coast- 

 line nearer than twenty miles ; hence, while I never observed 

 it at Sydney, the town of Maitland on the Hunter is annually 

 visited by it in great numbers. In Western Australia it is 

 common between Northam and York, while the towns of Perth 

 and Fremantle on the coast are, like Sydney, unfavoured with 

 its presence. I observed it throughout the district of the 

 Upper Hunter, as well as in every part of the interior, breed- 

 ing in various localities, wherever suitable situations presented 

 themselves ; sometimes their nests are constructed in the cavi- 

 ties of decayed trees ; while not unfrequently clusters of them 

 are attached to the perpendicular banks of rivers, the sides 

 of rocks, &c., generally in the vicinity of water. The long 



I 



