OF NATURE. 237 



many opportunities of observing it. I 

 suspect that it passes the day in conceal- 

 ment 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 day-time. I 

 have also sometimes seen it in an evening, 

 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 September. Markwick. 



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. 



