38 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 



colour was observed for some hours by Mr. R. Mann, 

 flying among a crowd of its fellows. Some old males 

 are very bright in the breeding season, the lower 

 parts being suffused with a delicate rose colour. 

 Mr. J. Davidson possesses a Swallow exhibiting this 

 intensity of vigour, but the rose colour faded con- 

 siderably in lustre. We have ourselves observed 

 similar birds, resting with their mates on telegraph 

 wires. 



Genus CHELIDON. 



C. Urbica. Martin. 



The House Martin is a summer visitant, much 

 harassed in nesting operations by the common 

 Sparrow. 



It is decidedly less subject to variation of plum- 

 age than the Swallow or Sand Martin, of both of 

 which we occasionally examine albinos, invariably 

 young birds. On August 10th, 1883, we observed 

 a pied House Martin near Burgh, the white wings 

 contrasting prettily with the dark upper parts (as in 

 that beautiful Ethiopian form, Hirundo Leucosoma, 

 figured in Messrs. Sharpe & Wyatt's Monograph of 

 the Hii'undinidce). 



In the Paris Marclie des Oiseaux, young Martins 

 are often offered for sale, together with young 

 Swallows, Wrynecks, Wrens, and other small in- 

 sectivorous birds, and the Frenchmen rear them 

 successfully on raw liver, comminuted into a paste, 

 and mixed with the meal of maw (or poppy) seed. 

 With us such species are so seldom reared by hand, 

 that it is noteworthy that a brood of young House 

 Martins were lately reared by Miss Mann of Aigle- 



