30 COMMON BRITISH BIRDS 



MARIN, HOUSE. (S.M. Swallows.) 



Size. Sparrow. 



Colour. Above blue-black with the rump pure white, 

 throat and under parts pure white. Tail forked, but 

 not so deeply as that of the Swallow. 



Note. A twittering son p. 



Distinguishing Feature. The patch of white on the 

 lower part of the back easily distinguishes this from the 

 other Swallow birds. 



Nest.- Built of clay and mud, with a small entrant 

 near the top, often placed under the eaves of houses 



Eggs. Glossy white. 



Haunts. Everywhere where suitable nesting-sites 

 exist. 



MARTIN, SAND. (S.M. Swallows.) 



Size. Sparrow. 



Colour. Brown above, also sides of face, and band 

 across upper chest. Chin and under parts white. 



Nnte. A slight chattering, often uttered as the birds 

 chase each other through the air. 



Distinguishing Feature. The sandy-brown back; 

 no white on rump ; tail not so long or forked as that of 

 the Swallow. 



Nest. The Sand Martin burrows a tunnel from 

 two to three feet deep in the side of a sandbank, making 

 a rough nest of straw and feathers at the end. Nests 

 in colonies. 



Eggs. White. 



Haunts. Breeding-haunts are dependent on the 

 presence of suitable banks for the nest tunnels, neigh- 

 bourhood of water preferred. 



MOORHEN. (R. Rails.) 



Size. Pigeon. 



Colour. Above dark olive-brown, a little white on 

 the edge of the wing. Crown of head and sides of face 

 blackish, throat and under parts dark slate-grey. 

 Some white marks on sides of body. Under tail-coverts 

 white, except the middle feathers, which are black. 

 On the forehead is a frontal plate which joins the bill, 

 and this and the basal half of the bill is crimson, rest of 

 bill greenish. Legs and toes olive-green, with a red 

 garter just above leg joint. 



Note. Rather a loud ' cluck ' and a metallic ' ts-ack.' 



