PERCHING BIRDS. 165 
great vigour and liveliness, very unlike the languid 
fluttering of the pair above mentioned. 
The House Martin (1. wrbica) is generally a few days 
later in its arrival than the swallow (whether the latter 
be early or not), the same atmospheric influences affect- 
ing both species equally in limiting or increasing the 
supply of food. Its flight is less powerful than that of 
the swallow, or perhaps it merely appears so from lack- 
ing all those vigorous swoops which mark the course of 
the latter; but it often flies with a wavering motion, as 
if uncertain of its destination. 
The martin is, equally with the swallow, an attendant 
upon civilization, and loves to associate its dwellings with 
those of man; indeed, the situations it generally selects 
for its nest are such as to bring its nidification more 
immediately under our notice than that of any other of 
our native birds, and a pretty sight it is to watch their 
busy operations. 
The eaves of buildings or the corners of windows are 
their most favourite spots; but I have never met with 
a nest in such places open at the top, as I have 
frequently seen it represented in works of natural history. 
In one recent book, the illustrations of which are 
generally very faithful, the nest is figured as a shallow 
dish fixed to a wall, and entirely open at the top. 
Surely this must be a mistake ; or, if drawn from nature, 
it cannot be taken as the type of the nest of this species. 
All that I have ever seen have had their walls carried 
up until they met the projection under which they were 
built, leaving a rounded hole in the middle immediately 
under the angle of the tile or cornice. 
I saw a very remarkable instance of variation from 
the ordinary situation of the nest of the martin in the 
