166 MARTIN. 
Persia, Palestine, Asia Minor, and throughout Europe, except in the 
Basque Provinces, where, for some mysterious reason, it is almost 
unknown. It also breeds abundantly in North Africa ; visits the 
Canaries and Madeira; and probably winters in Central Africa, 
inasmuch as examples have been obtained in Abyssinia on the east 
side, and off the coast of Guinea on the west. 
The nest, constructed of mud, is not left open at the top like that 
of the Swallow, but is shaped like the quarter of a cup, and is fixed 
ayainst a wall, bridge or rock, beneath eaves or other projections ; 
the hole for entrance being in the top or corner of the side. On 
rocky coasts, and in mountain districts, especially those where lime- 
stone prevails, the nests are often placed in large numbers against 
the cliffs ; while I have also found House-Martins nesting well inside 
crevices, in Wales (near Fishguard), the Pyrenees, and in Norway. 
Upon a lining of pieces of straw and feathers, the 4-5 eggs, of a pure 
white, are deposited about the last week in May: measurements 
‘79 by 52 in. Incubation lasts a fortnight, and two, or, occasionally 
three, broods are produced in the season, for young have been found 
in the nest up to October 17th ; the same spot being occupied year 
after year. ‘The food of the Martin consists entirely of insects, and 
it is a pity that this beneficial bird should be dispossessed and 
driven from its home, as it dften is, by the detrimental House- 
Sparrow. This has lately happened to several colonies in the West- 
end of London. The note is a low twitter, sounding like sfrttz. 
The adult has the upper part of the head, nape and back glossy 
blue-black ; rump white, as are the upper tail-coverts, except those 
‘next the tail, which are bluish-black ; wings and the forked tail sooty- 
black ; under parts white, as are also the feathers which cover the 
legs and toes ; bill black. Length 5:3; wing 4°25 in. The sexes 
are alike in plumage. The young bird is sooty-brown above, with 
hardly any gloss ; the rump and under parts are dull white ; the tail 
is shorter and less forked ; and some dark feathers on each side of 
the neck form an incipient collar. 
-An American Purple Martin, Progne purpiirea, said to have been 
shot near Kingstown in 1839 or 1840, isin the Museum of Science 
and Art, Dublin. An American Tree-Swallow, Zachycinéta bicolor, 
said to have been killed at Derby in 1850, is now in the Museum at 
Norwich. There are no other instances of the occurrence of these 
species in Europe ; and, even assuming the correctness of the state- 
ments, the birds had probably received “ assisted passages.” 
