98 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



tings_, sand-pitsj or, indeed, anywhere that the soil and 

 situation are suitable for the purpose. They are sociable 

 little birds, and are commonly found to have their nests 

 close together, and in large numbers, as already stated. 

 They build in holes excavated in the sandy sides of some 

 bank or cliff, and these holes are dug by the birds them- 

 selves ; they are about two and a half inches in dia- 

 meter, horizontal in direction, and more or less tortuous 

 in their course. Generally they are placed between six 

 and seven feet from the ground, so as to be out of reach. 

 The Sand Martin is a skilled workman, and the gallery 

 in which its nest is built is said to be usually excavated in 

 thirteen or fourteen days ; in most cases the aperture is 

 very nearly circular. The end of the gallery is somewhat 

 larger than the opening, and contains the nest, about nine 

 or ten inches from the entrance. 



The nest is commonly made of a little hay and a few of 

 the soft breast-feathers of ducks or geese, loosely put to- 

 gether. Four to six eggs are laid. They are white, some- 

 what smaller than those of the House Martin, and the 

 shell is thin and easily fractured. 



These birds are extremely partial to certain localities ; 

 they return season after season to their old haunts, and 

 make use of their old excavations over and over again. 

 When the young birds are able to provide for themselves 

 they roost upon osiers, or similar resting places, to be found 

 on the sides or in the middle of rivers. Twelve or thirteen 

 days is about the time occupied in hatching. 



The flight of the Sand Martin is rapid, but it lacks the 

 bold, sweeping curves of the Swift and the Swallow, and 

 may be described as somewhat wavering and unsteady. 

 Unlike the birds above mentioned, it seldom rises to any 



