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THE HOUSE MAETIN. 



HIRUNDO URBICA. 



Head, nape and upper part of the back, black with violet reflections ; lower 

 part of the back, and all the under parts, pure white ; feet and toes covered 

 with downy feathers ; tail forked, moderate. Length five inches and a half. 

 Eggs pure white. 



For a detailed history of the House-Martin or Window- 

 Swallow, and its habits, I cannot do better than again 

 refer my readers to White's "Selborne," which contains 

 so admirable an account of the Swallow. The two 

 birds indeed are so much alike in their leading habits, 

 namely, migration, mode of flight, and food, that a descrip- 

 tion of either will in many respects be applicable to the 

 other. The House-lNIartin generally arrives a few days 

 after the Swallow, and resorts to similar localities. In 

 the early part of the season the most sheltered j^laces 



