WZ BIRDS OF CHESHIRE. 
HOUSE MARTIN. 
CHELIDON URBICA (Linnzus). 
The House Martin is a regular summer visitor to 
Cheshire, arriving a few days later than the Swallow. 
Most of the birds leave during the early part of October, 
but laggards may be seen until the end of this month 
or the beginning of November. This species haunts the 
same situations as the Swallow, but is not quite so 
common. House Martins suffered greatly in the severe 
spring of 1886, and for some years afterwards only 
visited us in diminished numbers; but lately they have 
recovered their position. 
In common with many insectivorous birds, the 
Martin has grown rarer in several places owing to 
the inordinate increase of the House Sparrow. We 
have met with several cases where the Sparrow has 
ousted the weaker bird and appropriated its nest. In 
this connection, it is a significant fact that at Tarporley, 
where Sparrows are rigorously destroyed, Mr. R. J. 
Howard has counted thirty-two occupied nests of the 
House Martin under eighteen yards of eaves. 
SAND MARTIN. 
CoTILE RIPARIA (Linnzeus). 
The Sand Martin is one of the earliest spring 
migrants to this country, but it is seldom seen in 
Cheshire before the middle of April. During its 
sojourn with us it frequents the meres and rivers in 
large numbers, and is met with in all parts of the 
1 Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, 2nd edit. p. 57. 
