THE SAND MARTIN 
The adult Sand Martin has the general colour of the 
upper parts mouse-brown, with a slight purple sheen ; 
the wings and tail are blackish brown, the latter slightly 
forked ; there is a broad band of brown across the breast, 
and the remainder of the under parts is white ; there is a 
tiny bunch of feathers at the back of the tarsus. Bill 
black ; tarsi and toes dark brown ; irides brown. Length 
about 4} inches. The nestling closely resembles its 
parents in general coloration, but most of the feathers 
of the upper parts are margined with pale buff, and the 
white under surface is suffused with the same. 
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