Il8 FAUNA OF SHROPSHIRE 



Swallow B. Very plentiful. The first arrivals are always 

 Hirundo rustica. seen flying over water, and are few 



Apl. ii. Oct. ii. in number, being followed by the bulk 



about ten days later. A White Swal- 

 low was seen near Ludlow, September lyth, 1897. 



House Martin B. Not so numerous as the Swallow, 

 Chelidon urbica. arrives generally a few days later. It 



Apl. in. Oct. HI. is this bird (not the Swallow), that 

 attaches its mud nest to walls beneath 

 the eaves. For some unknown reason the Martin seems 

 to have decreased in numbers during the last few years. 

 Sparrows often appropriate the nests of this bird, and 

 drive away the rightful owners, but a few years ago at 

 Buttington, near Welshpool, the Martins came in num- 

 bers, bringing plaster in their mouths, and enclosed in 

 the nest a pair of Sparrows that had acted in this 

 way, so that the nest became their tomb. A modern 

 instance of an old story. 



Sand Martin B. The earliest of the Swallow tribe to 

 Cotile riparia. arrive. Found all over the County 



Mar. iv. Oct. i. wherever sand-banks occur in which 



it can burrow to make its nest. 



GREENFINCH, or Green Linnet -B. A pretty bird in 

 Ltgurimis chloris. green and yellow livery, abundant 



everywhere. Often kept as a cage 

 bird, like many other Finches which follow. 



HAWFINCH B. This bird is often called the Grosbeak, 



Coccothraustcs valgaris. on account of the size of its head and 



beak, which are so large as to be 



almost grotesque. It used to be reckoned rare, but of 



late years has multiplied very much, nearly a dozen 



