THE HOUSE MARTIN 
reach this country. ‘This is a very interesting and curious 
fact, which I have not seen recorded in any account of the 
habits of the House Martin. ‘The birds apparently only 
resort to their nests in many London thoroughfares just 
at the time they are going to use them. ‘This species 
closely resembles the Swallow in many of its habits. It 
passes the same aerial existence, flitting to and fro for the 
livelong day in quest of food. Occasionally it may be seen 
sitting on some roof, bare branch, or telegraph wire, and 
sometimes alights upon the roads. When at rest in these 
places its movements are awkward and assisted by the 
half-open wings, for its legs are too short to allow it to 
walk or hop in any comfort. Its food is composed of 
insects, chiefly caught on the wing. It has a delightful 
little song, uttered in a low, warbling strain, but is not 
heard so frequently as the Swallow ; its call-note is a 
shrill, spluttering cry. Like the Swallow, the House 
Martin returns unerringly every year to its old haunts, 
and the same nests are occupied season after season, when 
left untenanted by Sparrows. ‘These birds harras the 
Martins incessantly and often cause them to desert a 
breeding-place altogether. ‘This Martin pairs for life, 
and generally rears two broods each season, the eggs for 
the first being laid in May, for the second in July. In 
London the nest is usually made under eaves, in the corner 
of windows, or below plinths and carved stone-work ; 
but in many localities it is attached to cliffs, bridges and so 
forth. It is shaped something like half a cone, sometimes 
more globular, and is made externally of little pellets of 
mud, which the birds pick up from the roads or any 
convenient place. I have seen numbers of Martins 
gathering mud after a water-cart had passed along a 
suburban road. A small hole at the top admits the 
parents. This shell is lined with dry grass and feathers. 
The four or five eggs are white and spotless. After 
the young are reared the House Martin becomes still 
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