BRITISH BIRDS. 6j 



blackish -blue ; abdomen, light buff ; wing-quills and tail 

 black with green reflections, all the tail-feathers, except 

 the short middle ones, having basal portion of inner web 

 white ; bill and feet black. Length to tip of tail 775. 

 Female : tail shorter, and under parts paler. Young : 

 duller above, and still paler below, while the tail is much 

 shorter than in adults. 



Common from mid-April to mid-October, except in 

 extreme north of Scotland and West Coast of Ireland, 

 where it is scarce and local. Nest : placed on rafters in 

 barns or under bridges, in angles of porches, etc. ; com- 

 posed of mud, mixed with grass, and lined with fine grass 

 and feathers. Eggs : 4 or 5 ; white spotted and blotched 

 with reddish-brown and with underlying grey marks ; size 

 '82 by '55. Two broods are produced, young being fed 

 entirely upon small-winged insects, which also constitute 

 food of the parents. In spring the male utters a weak but 

 sweet " twittering " song as he courses over the meadows. 



GENUS XXXIII. CHELIDON, F. Boie (1822). 

 Differs from Hirundo in having tarsi and toes clothed 

 with short feathers ; tail is forked, but outer feathers 

 scarcely exceed the next. 



82. Chelidon urbiea, (Linn.^. MARTIN. 



Hab. Europe, north in Scandinavia to lat. 70 ; also 

 N. Africa, Asia Minor, and eastward to N.W. India. 

 Migrates southward in winter. 



Male : upper parts glossy black, except rump which is 

 white ; whole under parts white ; bill black ; feet clothed 

 with short white feathers. Length 5.25. Female : 

 identical. Young : blackish-brown above, with dull white 

 rump and lower parts ; tail less forked. 



F 2 



