OF SELBORNE. 197 



LETTER XX. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTOS. 



SELBORNE, Feb. 26, 1774. 



HE sand martin, or bank martin, is by 

 much the least of any of the British Hirun- 

 dines ; and as far as we have ever seen, the 

 smallest known Hirundo : though Brisson 

 asserts that there is one much smaller, and 

 that is the Hirundo csculenta. 



But it is much to be regretted that it is scarce possible 

 for any observer to be so full and exact as he could wish in 

 reciting the circumstances attending the life and conversa- 

 tion of this little bird, since it is f era natura, at least in this 

 part of the kingdom, disclaiming all domestic attachments, 

 and haunting wild heaths and commons where there are 

 large lakes ; while the other species, especially the swallow 

 and house martin, are remarkably gentle and domesticated, 

 and never seem to think themselves safe but under the pro- 

 tection of man. 



Here are in this parish, in the sand pits and banks of the 

 lakes of Wolrner Forest, several colonies of these birds ; and 

 yet they are never seen in the village ; nor do they at all 

 frequent the cottages that are scattered about in that wild 

 district. The only instance I ever remember where this 

 species haunts any building is at the town of Bishop's Wal- 

 tham, in this county, where many sand martins nestle and 

 breed in the scaffold holes of the back wall of William of 

 Wykeham's stables: but then this wall stands in a very 

 sequestered and retired enclosure, and faces upon a large 

 and beautiful lake. And indeed this species seems so to 

 delight in large waters, that no instance occurs of their 



