268 . RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



indeed. Their eggs are a pure and spotless white when 

 blown, like those of the Sand Martin, and usually four or 

 five in number. When the bird is sitting upon them its 

 mate keeps visiting it with food, and when the young 

 are hatched these little insect hunters are taxed to the 

 utmost from before sunrise till after sunset, for the hungry 

 clamourings of their tender brood are incessant. The 

 young Martins are tended by their parents right up to 

 the time of their departure in October, and, like Swallows, 

 they feed their offspring when flying through the air or 

 when resting their weakly wings by alighting on the 

 trees, fences, and buildings. The food of the Martin is 

 composed of insects, and the refuse of their food is cast 

 up in pellets. We often in the month of June see the 

 Martins alighting in the turnip fields, for the purpose of 

 securin^r the smaller beetles and flies which infest these 

 situations ; so are they also seen catching the various 

 insects on the tall grass, by hovering above it until they 

 have captured their prey. 



In the autumn months the Martins congregate in 

 vast flocks, and spend their time in coursing through the 

 air or basking in the sunshine on the trees and buildings. 

 And a joyous merry party they are, no care upon them, 

 and abundance of food around. But as the year rolls 

 on insect life becomes scarcer, and the chilling winds 

 bid the Martins prepare for their long journey. At 

 length the day of departure arrives, and all who are 

 strong and healthy fly on rapid wings in an unswerving 

 course to the south. Across the mountains, rivers, and 

 woods of our own country they speed, and at last the 

 broad ocean lays before them. But still on, on ; to 

 delay is death ; and boldly they ent^r on their long 

 flight over the briny surge of ocean. Arrived at last on 

 the far distant shore, they mayhap spend a few days 



