93 
The rare visitor, the Nutcracker, was obtained near here as 
late as the year 1885. It has been recorded before in Kent, but 
not of late years. 
THE FAMILY HIRUNDINIDA.—(page 111). 
The Swallow, House Martin, and Sand Martin are among the 
Summer visitors we cannot dispense with. It is very usual in the 
country to confound the Swallow with the House Martin; the 
latter, building in preference under the eaves of the house, have 
been so frequently driven out of house and home by the House 
Sparrows, that they have decreased in numbers in these parts. I 
have had a particular instance of this in my own residence. My 
house has a parapet with corbels beneath, that have been a favorite 
resort for the House Martin. Some forty years ago, to keep them 
from the lower corbels, a net was nailed up, leaving for the birds 
only the gable which was lined with these niches. The birds not 
only occupied the whole of the gable, but strove to build beneath 
the net, in the lower parapet. The net has now been gone some 
years, but the House Martins have gradually decreased, from the 
Sparrows almost invariably occupying the nests as soon as they are 
constructed, and this in spite of the fact, that I have taken the 
part of the Martins against their enemy, and shot every Sparrow 
I could, that molested their nests. It is owing to this action of 
the Sparrows, that we often find such late broods of Martins, 
which perish, being deserted at the time of the migration of the 
old birds. 
Sand Martins, on the contrary, have increased of late. 
Swifts are tolerably abundant, and find a nesting place in the 
chalk cliffs and tall church towers, Canterbury Cathedral among 
the number. 
I have noted the Alpine Swift, which is recorded as having 
been met with at Dover, in 1830; and Kingsgate, in 1832. 
The Goat Sucker is met with occasionally in the wooded 
districts, and is more common, perhaps, than is generally supposed, 
owing to its nocturnal habits. JI came across one a short time 
since in a small coppice, where it appeared to be roosting on the 
ground, it took a very hasty and uncertain flight in the broad 
sunshine. 
The Cuckoo, of which family we possess only the common 
one, is very numerous in my neighbourhood, where it frequents 
the woods and marshes, but seems to prefer the more open parts, 
where white thorn bushes are abundant; but though so common, 
it is so exceedingly shy, and leads snch a roving life that it is very 
difficult to watch its habits. It frequently makes use of the 
