THE SAND MARTIN 



The adult Sand Martin has the general colour of the 

 upper parts mouse-brown, with a slight purple sheen ; 

 the wings and tail are blackish brown, the latter slightly 

 forked ; there is a broad band of brown across the breast, 

 and the remainder of the under parts is white ; there is a 

 tiny bunch of feathers at the back of the tarsus. Bill 

 black ; tarsi and toes dark brown ; irides brown. Length 

 about 4f inches. The nestling closely resembles its 

 parents in general coloration, but most of the feathers 

 of the upper parts are margined with pale buff, and the 

 white under surface is suffused with the same. 



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