SAND MARTIN. 265 



in the more temperate parts of Russia and Siberia, and 

 from thence over all the southern parts of the European 

 continent, from which it passes towards the end of autumn 

 across the Mediterranean to Africa, and is believed to go 

 nearly as far south as the Cape. The Sand Martin rests 

 at various islands while crossing the Mediterranean; and 

 M. Malherbe says that some remain in Sicily through the 

 winter, and Vieillot says it is resident at Malta all the 

 year round. Major James Franklin brought specimens 

 from India, which were exhibited with his collection at 

 the Zoological Society ; it has been found in the north- 

 western part of India ; and Mr. Blyth has obtained it 

 near Calcutta. In North America, according to the testi- 

 mony of Wilson, Mr. Audubon, and Sir John Richardson, 

 this species is found from Florida over the United States, 

 and as high as the 68th parallel, where they were seen in 

 the month of July ; but they are not supposed to produce 

 more than one brood in a season anywhere north of Lake 

 Superior. 



The adult birds have the beak dark brown, nearly black ; 

 the irides hazel ; the head, neck, back, wing-coverts, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts, uniform hair-brown, or mouse- 

 brown ; the quill -feathers of the wing and the tail-feathers 

 darker brown, almost blackish brown ; chin, throat, breast, 

 belly, and under tail-coverts, pure white ; across the upper 

 part of the breast a band of hair-brown ; legs, toes, and 

 claws, dark brown, with a few short btiffy white feathers 

 on the posterior edge of the tarsus, just above the junction 

 of the hind toe. 



The whole length is four inches and three quarters. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing four inches ; 

 the wings, when closed, reaching beyond the end of the 

 tail, which is forked : the first quill-feather in the wing is 

 the longest ; the others in succession diminishing gradually. 



