360 HIRUNDINID^E. 



specimen at Teneriffe.* Throughout the enormous tract of 

 which the limits have just been imperfectly traced the Sand- 

 Martin is pretty numerous in most suitable localities, regard 

 being had to the time of year. But this is by no means all, 

 for the bird is not confined to the Old World. In America 

 it has a range quite as wonderful. Natterer obtained it at 

 Cai9ara in Brazil, and a pair was seen on Melville Island in 

 1820, as recorded by Parry (Journal &c. p. 195) the dis- 

 tance between these two points being about 90 of latitude. 

 It has also been observed at many intermediate stations, and 

 is as well known throughout North America as in Europe. 

 Dall found it breeding in immense numbers in Alaska, 

 Richardson saw settlements of thousands at the mouth of 

 the Mackenzie River, and Mr. Reeks records it (Zool. s.s. 

 p. 1695) from Newfoundland, in parts of which it is said 

 to be very common. Few species of birds have a range so 

 extensive as the Sand-Martin, and certainly there is no 

 Passerine bird which can compare with it in this respect. 



The adults have the bill brownish-black : the irides hazel : 

 upper parts nearly uniform mouse-colour, darker on the 

 crown and round the eyes, and palest on the rump ; wing- 

 and tail-quills blackish-brown, the latter with lighter edges ; 

 chin, throat, breast, belly and lower tail-coverts, white, 

 except a broad mouse-coloured band across the upper part 

 of the breast ; the axillaries, flanks and lower wing-coverts 

 mouse-coloured, those of the latter which cover the meta- 

 carpus being tipped with dull white; the tarsal tuft pale 

 buff : legs, toes, and claws dark brown. 



The whole length is four inches and three-quarters ; from 

 the carpal joint to the tip of the first and longest primary, 

 four inches. 



Young birds of the year, on leaving the nest, have the 

 feathers of the back and upper tail-coverts, as also the tertials 

 and wing-coverts, tipped with buify-white, as shewn in the 

 upper figure of the woodcut ; the chin is also huffy-white. 



* Both in Asia and Africa our Sand -Martin has several congeners, the exist- 

 ence of which throws suspicion on some of the older statements as to its appear- 

 ance in the south of both these quarters of the globe. 



