OF NATURE. 237 



many opportunities of observing it. I 

 suspect that it passes the day in conceal- 

 ment amidst the dark and shady gloom of 

 deep-wooded dells, or as they are called 

 here gills ; having more than once seen it 

 roused from such solitary places by my 

 dogs, when shooting in the day-time. I 

 have also sometimes seen it in an evening, 

 but not long enough to take notice of its 

 habits and manners. I have never seen 

 it but in the Summer, between the months 

 of May and September. MARKWICK. 



SAND MARTINS. 



March 23, 1788. A gentleman, who 

 was this week on a visit at Waverley, took 

 the opportunity of examining some of the 

 holes in the sand banks with which that 

 district abounds. As these are undoubtedly 

 bored by bank martins, and are the places 

 where they avowedly breed, he was in 

 hopes they might have slept there also, 



