228 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



ing here and there along the cliffs between Beer 

 and Plymouth. There are a number of nests made 

 on the wall-like cliffs at Berry Head, and a similar 

 colony established on some rocks at Mudstone 

 Sands, a mile or so west of that point. House 

 Martins, when nesting on cliffs, show a special pre- 

 ference for those parts where the rocks overhang and 

 form, as it were, a natural roof. There can be little 

 doubt that these places were originally the only 

 sites selected, and that the birds have considerably 

 modified their habits since buildings became avail- 

 able. Both these little birds lend considerable 

 animation to the cliffs ; in not a few instances 

 they are almost the only signs of feathered life, 

 and their aerial gambols along the face of the 

 rocks and above the sea are ever replete with 

 interest. 



Another bird found breeding in small colonies 

 upon the cliffs is, singular to relate, the House 

 Sparrow! There are two such colonies to our 

 knowledge on the cliffs in Tor Bay one at the 

 Preston end of Paignton Sands, just above the 

 target of the volunteer shooting range, the other 

 at Corbyn Head, near Torquay. These Sparrows 

 nest in holes in the cliffs, and, so far as we 



