SAND MAETIN. 



BANK MARTIN. 

 PLATE LXIII. FIG. II. 



Hirundo riparia, PENNANT. MONTAGU. 



THE nest of the Sand Martin, as intended by its name, is placed in 

 the straight banks of rivers, cliffs of the sea-shore, sand-pits, and such 

 other like situations as are sufficiently soft for the bird to perforate 

 not always at a high elevation : I have known them almost within reach 

 of the hand from the beach. It hollows out for itself a way to its 

 intended resting-place to the depth of from two to three, and even 

 nearly four feet. These 'excavators' complete their work, though they 

 are such 'feeble folk/ in about a fortnight. The same hole is resorted 

 to from year to year, or, if it has fallen away, another is hollowed out 

 in the same neighbourhood. The weight of sand mined in a day is 

 from sixteen to twenty ounces, and pebbles of even more than two 

 ounces in weight have been known to be removed. 



The eggs are from four to six in number, and white. They are very 

 tender, and are hatched after an incubation of twelve or thirteen days. 



