510 
6 
the abandoned nest, enjoying themselves in the rays of the rising sun. Around them the 
parents were silently engaged in capturing their little prey, which had been roused into life by 
the new dawn. The male and female both took part in this exercise, although the latter seemed 
more attentive, and supplied the young more frequently, than the former. One or other carried 
food to them at least every five minutes. I suppose they were thus engaged for ten hours each 
day, the case admitting of a calculation of about 6000 noxious insects being destroyed by one 
small brood ina day. ‘This calculation is perhaps much below reality; but even looking at the 
subject from this point of view, we find that the destruction of these beautiful birds would be 
productive of pernicious results. Thus, while the rapidity of its flight enables the Swallow to 
capture these insects with facility, nature, ever provident, may have bestowed upon it this 
property that it may also be better able to elude the movements of its enemies, and thus be 
spared to preserve the atmosphere, to a certain extent, in a state of purity.” 
Mr. Cecil Smith, writing from Taunton, Somersetshire, informs me that it is there “a very 
numerous summer visitant, occasionally making its appearance in the last week in March, but 
sometimes not till the first week in April. One year a flock of about fifty pair took up their 
abode in my quarry; and as there was not much work going on in the quarry at the time, they 
excavated the holes for their nests in the soft ground above the stone, and successfully reared 
their families; the next year they returned to the same place, but had to dig their holes again, 
as the earth had been removed. This year they had not quite such a pleasant time, as there 
was more work going on in the quarry, and carts constantly coming and going, and the rock was 
occasionally blasted with gunpowder. However, they did not seem to mind the interruption, 
and brought up their families as before. The next year the earth in which they had made their 
holes was being taken away just at the time the Martins first arrived ; so they betook themselves 
to other quarters. When the earth was being taken off a pair of Robins were found to have 
taken possession of one of the Sand-Martin’s holes, and had already laid three eggs in it. Many 
of the Sand-Martins have a second brood; and the young birds are not yet (August 10th) flown, 
as I constantly see the old ones going in and out to feed them. These late young have not 
very much time to prepare for their migratory flight, as they all leave us about the middle 
of October.” 
The food of the present species, like that of the other Swallows, consists entirely of insects, 
chiefly of the smaller kind, such as gnats &c.; and it may frequently be seen to pick an insect 
off the surface of the water as it skims along its surface, as it often does; indeed, as a rule, the 
Sand-Martin does not fly so high as the common Swallow. Its note resembles that of the 
common Swallow, but is not so loud and is more feeble. It is a rather harsh note, resembling 
the word share or scheer; and during the spring the male somewhat modulates this note into a 
sort of song, if such it can be called. 
The nest of the Sand-Martin, which is placed at the end of the nest-hole, is composed of 
grass-bents and straws, is loosely put together, and is generally lined somewhat sparingly with 
feathers. The eggs, usually four or five in number, are oval, elongated, pure white in colour; 
and a series in my collection measure from 38 by 2% to 38 by 23 inch in size. 
The specimens figured are an adult male from Hampstead and a nestling from near Wash- 
ington, in the United States, these being the specimens described and in my own collection. 
