400 MARTIN. 



from any part of that division of the world. The 

 great mass of European birds seem to pass from 

 Northern Africa. M. Temminck places it among 

 the birds of Japan. 



The adult male has the head and upper parts 

 deep and rich steel blue, running into a black 

 pectoral band ; the forehead and throat are deep 

 reddish chestnut ; the belly and feet reddish white, 

 tinged on the flanks with brown ; the tail deeply 

 forked, the outer feathers narrowing towards the 

 ends, is black with blue reflections, and has a 

 large white spot on the inner webs of all the fea- 

 thers, except the two in the centre. In the female 

 the colours are all less brilliant, and the chestnut 

 on the forehead and throat less in extent. The 

 young have the tail nearly square, and the colour 

 of the throat a pale reddish brown, shading into 

 gray upon the breast. Pure white varieties are 

 occasionally met with. 



HIRUNDO URBICA, MARTIN. H. urbica, Linn. 

 Martin, Martlet, or Window Swallow, of Bri- 

 tish authors. This Swallow arrives generally a 

 few days later than the last, and is much more 

 local in distribution. It is also an attendant on 

 civilization, and its general breeding places are 

 seen on the eaves of houses, the corners of win- 

 dows, (whence its most frequent name,) under the 

 arches of bridges or gateways ; it there builds its 

 nest gregariously, in parties of from twenty to 

 one hundred, returning year after year to the 



