The late Consul Swinhoe has given the following account of the species in the island 

 of Formosa : — " Is a summer visitant to all suitable localities in the south of China, and 

 is also found in all parts of Formosa, frequenting the steep sandy banks of rivers, into 

 Avhich it bores long galleries, constructing at the end of these its cup-shaped nest, and 

 depositing therein three white eggs. Its winter migrations extend to the plains of 

 Hindostan, where, curiously enough, it is reported by observers to nest again in the 

 heart of winter. This is, I believe, the only well-authenticated fact recorded of this 

 long-suspected habit in migratory birds. It visits Formosa in April, and leaves again in 

 October. 



" Some fifteen miles up the Tamsuy Iliver, in a long sand-bank, I found several roAvs 

 of perforations made by this bird. The birds were flying in and out of them in great 

 numbers, so we stopped to examine them. Most of the holes were out of arm's reach ; 

 and as the bank was very steep, and composed of loose mud, we had great difficulty in 

 establishing a footing. We managed, however, after much trouble, to insert our arms 

 into several of them. The holes were in all stages of progress, some only just begun, 

 others scarcely a foot deep ; in some the eggs were hard-set, in others quite freshly laid. 

 The holes ran into the bank with only a slight inclination from the horizontal. In all 

 instances they turned a little to the right, extending in depth to about two feet, — their 

 diameter being from two to three inches, which is enlarged to a cavity about six or eight 

 inches broad at the bottom. In its cuji-shaped base was placed the nest, composed of 

 light straw and dried grasses and lined with feathers. One nest, however, had no 

 feathers ; but as it had no eggs, I concluded it was unfinished. The eggs in every case 

 were only three in number, of a pinkish white, without spot or stain. On our disturbing 

 the birds they rushed in consternation from their nesting-site, and after flying about 

 low in the air at some distance in great agitation, they would meet together for some 

 seconds as if in consultation. They Avould then again huny off in different directions, 

 and again meet. Finding we were in no hurry to leave their ground, they began to 

 scatter and soar away to a considerable height. As soon, however, as we withdrew for 

 a space, they returned, many diving at once into their burrows, others rushing liack- 

 wards and forwards close past tlie holes, as if bewildered and afraid to enter. They wimv 

 so numerous, and looked so small in the bright quivering liglit of a hot Formosau (hiy, 

 that they seemed to me at times more like Dragon-flies than bii-ds."' Again lu' writes : — 

 "August lltli was a fine day, but very hot. I took a ten-mile ride into the countiy t 

 the banks of a river near the foot of the first range of low hills. In the steep clay-banks 

 occurred round holes bored by tlic Sand-I\Iartin, but tlie little fellows liad finislKMl with 

 tJiem for the year." 



Mr. Ilume was inclined at one time to consider that C. sxhsocrahi was distinct 

 from C. siuciish, and that both species bred in India. He has since united lliem, and 

 gives the f'ollowinL;' notes in his ' Nests and i^n^s of Indian liinls ' : — 



"On the 11th January, lyiiT, I came across a colony of Saiul-Mart ins, l)i'eediML,r i,, 

 the high sandy banks of the Jumna, l)elow Shci-ei;in-Ii, verv near, in fact, to tin' joiui 



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