180 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Norway, in the few places where it is found, as in the sheltered villages 

 on the Varanger Fjord, Mr. Nordvi told me that it did not make its 

 appearance until May. It departs from this^ country in autumn, many 

 birds leaving Scotland in the last week of September, but most of them 

 leaving England during the first half of October. Many birds, however, 

 linger even longer than this, especially if their broods are unable to fly. 

 Martins have been seen repeatedly in November, and in very rare instances 

 in December. 



The Martin is perhaps even more gregarious in its habits, especially 

 during the breeding-season, than the Swallow. The nesting- colonies of 

 the latter bird are usually smaller, and the numbers which form the flocks 

 during migration are less. The Martin does not fly so rapidly as the 

 Swallow, nor is its flight marked with so many turnings and twistings. 

 It sometimes flies at a considerable height, at other times it skims the 

 surface of the meadow or pool, ever and anon dipping in the water to 

 drink. The elevation of its flight varies according to the state of the 

 atmosphere, which afi'ects the insects on which it feeds. It frequents 

 its breeding-place from the time of its arrival ; and those fortunate birds 

 whose nests have withstood the buffetings of winter roost in them at night. 

 The song of the Martin is rarely heard. It is uttered as the bird sits on 

 the dead branch of a tree or on a roof, or even when it is on the ground. 

 It is a low twittering song varied by a few full rich warbling notes, and 

 much resembles that of the Swallow, but is not so rich or so varied. Its 

 call-note is entirely diflerent from that of the Swallow, a sort of spritz, 

 impossible to express by letters. Although the Martin spends the greatest 

 part of its time in the air, it frequently alights. When at rest it usually 

 perches on ledges, roofs, dead branches, or on telegraph-wires. When it 

 is collecting mud for its nest on the roads its wings are ever in motion, 

 and when they are at rest it never attempts to progress by its feet. Its 

 legs are too short to allow it to walk ; and even if the bird only move for a 

 few inches its wings are invariably erected to assist it. 



There can be little doubt that the Martin pairs for life, and every season 

 returns to its old nest and uses it again. This interesting fact has been 

 proved by marking birds in various ways, and in some instances they have 

 been found in their old haunts the following year. There can be little 

 doubt that the bird formerly used to breed exclusively on rocks, and that 

 its habit of frequenting buildings is comparatively only a recent one. 

 Thousands of Martins breed on the limestone rocks in Dovedale and in 

 other parts of the Peak of Derbyshire, at Malm Cove near Settle in York- 

 shire, and in many other places, especially on the clifl"s of the sea-coast at 

 Flamborough and other places in England and Scotland. It frequents alike 

 the wildest portions of the country and the highly cultivated districts, and 

 very often breeds in considerable numbers even in our largest towns. 



