PERCHING BIRDS. 165 



great vigour and liveliness, very unlike the languid 

 fluttering of the pair above mentioned. 



The House Martin (H. urbica) is generally a few days 

 later in its arrival than the swallow (whether the latter 

 be early or not), the same atmospheric influences affect- 

 ing both species equally in limiting or increasing the 

 supply of food. Its flight is less powerful than that of 

 the swallow, or perhaps it merely appears so from lack- 

 ing all those vigorous swoops which mark the course of 

 the latter ; but it often flies with a wavering motion, as 

 if uncertain of its destination. 



The martin is, equally with the swallow, an attendant 

 upon civilization, and loves to associate its dwellings with 

 those of man ; indeed, the situations it generally selects 

 for its nest are such as to bring its nidification more 

 immediately under our notice than that of any other of 

 our native birds, and a pretty sight it is to watch their 

 busy operations. 



The eaves of buildings or the corners of windows are 

 their most favourite spots ; but I have never met with 

 a nest in such places open at the top, as I have 

 frequently seen it represented in works of natural history. 

 In one recent book, the illustrations of which are 

 generally very faithful, the nest is figured as a shallow 

 dish fixed to a wall, and entirely open at the top. 

 Surely this must be a mistake ; or, if drawn from nature, 

 it cannot be taken as the type of the nest of this species. 

 All that I have ever seen have had their walls carried 

 up until they met the projection under which they were 

 built, leaving a rounded hole in the middle immediately 

 under the angle of the tile or cornice. 



I saw a very remarkable instance of variation from 

 the ordinary situation of the nest of the martin in the 



