454 OBSERVATIONS ON 



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, 

 and that he might have surprised them just as they 

 were awaking from their winter slumbers. When he 

 had dug for some time, he found the holes were hori- 

 zontal and serpentine, as I had observed before; and 

 that the nests were deposited at the inner end, and had 

 been occupied by broods in former summers ; but no 

 torpid birds were to be found. He opened and examined 

 about a dozen holes. Another gentleman made the 

 same search many years ago, with as little success. 



These holes were in depth about two feet. 



March 21, 1790. A single bank or sand martin was 

 seen hovering and playing round the sand pit at Short 

 Heath, where in the summer they abound. 



April 9, 1793. A sober hind assures us, that this day, 

 on Wish-hanger common, between Hedleigh and Frins- 

 ham, he saw several bank martins playing in and out, 

 and hanging before some nest holes in a sand hill, where 

 these birds usually nestle. 



This incident confirms my suspicions that this species 

 of Hirundo is to be seen first of any ; and gives great 

 reason to suppose that they do not leave their wild 

 haunts at all, but are secreted amidst the clefts and 

 caverns of those abrupt cliffs where they usually spend 

 their summers. 



I suspect that it passes the day in concealment 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 daytime. I have also sometimes seen it in an even- 

 ing, 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 Sep- 

 tember. MARKWICK. 



