HOUSE MARTINS 



"Wonderful is the address which this adroit bird shows all 

 day long in ascending and descending with security through 

 so narrow a pass. When hovering over the mouth of 

 the funnel, the vibrations of her wings acting on the con- 

 fined air occasion a rumbling like thunder. It is not 

 improbable that the dam submits to this inconvenient 

 situation so low in the shaft, in order to secure her broods 

 from rapacious birds, and particularly from owls, which 

 frequently fall down chimneys, perhaps in attempting to get 

 at these nestlings." 



The material used for building is soft, tenacious earth or 

 mud, which the bird fetches in its beak and agglutinates 

 with saliva, the admixture of the latter causing the mud to 

 set very hard and to form a shell stronger and tougher than 

 would be produced by the drying of mud alone. In favour- 

 able weather a whole nest may be finished, from foundation 

 to lining, in about -a week. The same nest is often occupied 

 for several successive seasons. 



The House Martin (Chelidon urblca) is perhaps a more 

 familiar bird than the swallow, because it nests in situations 

 where it is more easily observed ; usually, but not invariably, 

 against the side of some building, in a window recess, or 

 under the eaves. It can, however, adapt its habits to the 

 locality it happens to be in, and when remote from the 

 neighbourhood of houses it not uncommonly, in some coun- 

 tries, builds in steep cliffs and rocky river-banks. But as its 

 popular name indicates, it commonly resorts to houses, and 



no jutty, frieze, 



Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but this bird 

 Hath made his pendent bed and procreant cradle. 



The nest is more elaborate than a swallow's, as it is com- 

 pletely closed above and has a neat round opening in the 



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