MAETIN. 155 



The Martin rears two broods in the year, and sometimes 

 lays a third or even a fourth time, though the last brood 

 cannot be attended to before they themselves leave. White 

 of Selborne says that they are never without young ones in 

 the nest as late as Michaelmas; for as soon as one brood is 

 able to fly, the hen bird begins to lay again, but the latter 

 clutch is smaller in number than the former one. Those which 

 are unfortunately unable to fly when the 'moving power' seizes 

 their parents, are left behind, speedily to perish, as has re- 

 peatedly been discovered. When only two broods are produced, 

 the first'^nest is commenced about the 25th. of May, and the 

 young leave the nest about the 2nd. of August. The second 

 nest is begun about the llth. of August, and the second 

 brood quit it about the 29th. of September. 



The same nest is resorted to from year to year. Thus 

 the Rev. Gilbert White says: 'July 6th., 1783, some young 

 Martins came out of the nest over the garden door. This 

 nest was built in 1777, and has been used ever since.' The 

 young birds of one year often add another the following to 

 'the row' of nests which ornament the eaves where their parents 

 have built, and sometimes the birds will form a continuous 

 line of the mud they build with along the wall, without any 

 apparent or discernible motive, for there it remains without 

 any use being made of it. The mud they use in building is 

 tempered and cemented in some way or other, for it will 

 adhere firmly even to glass. 



The nest, which is generally built under the eaves of a 

 house, but also frequently on the sides of cliffs, is of an 

 hemispheric form, and is lined inside with a little hay and 

 feathers. 



The eggs are four or five in number, smooth and white. 

 Incubation lasts thirteen days. At first the parent birds enter 

 the nest each time to feed the young ones, but by and by 

 the latter may be seen anticipating their arrival by thrusting 

 out their heads at the door of their house, in expectation of 

 the meal which they there receive; the old bird holding on 

 to the nest outside, in the attitude depicted in the plate. 



Male; length, a little over five inches and a quarter. Bill, 

 short and black; iris, brown; head on the crown, neck on 

 the back, and nape, glossy blue black; chin, throat, and 

 breast, white; back, glossy blue black. The wings reach to 

 the end of the tail; the first quill feather is the longest; 

 greater and lesser wing coverts, glossy blue black; primaries, 



