SAND-MARTIN. 185 



fused. Its nearest ally is probably H. cincta, from Africa, a larger bird 

 with white instead of brown axillaries, and a white patch on each side of 

 the forehead. 



The habits of the Sand-Martin differ in several points from those of 

 the House-Martin and the Swallow. The comparative rarity of suitable 

 breeding-places makes it a much more local bird, and causes it also to 

 appear much more gregarious ; and the fact that it rarely breeds except in 

 perpendicular earth-cliffs, which are seldom found except on the banks of 

 rivers or lakes, makes it appear to be more partial to the neighbourhood 

 of water than is really the case, though in this country the increasing 

 number of railway-cuttings provides the Sand-Martins with other breeding- 

 places, of which they are ready enough to avail themselves. In some 

 localities the Sand-Martin is said to be the first Swallow to arrive in this 

 country ; but in most places where migratory birds are observed on passage 

 it is recorded as being somewhat later than our other two species. The 

 arrival of all the Swallows in spring is somewhat irregular : they seem to 

 cross the water in small parties, and to fly very low, frequently even fol- 

 lowing the sweep of the waves. Kriiper gives the end of March as the 

 earliest appearance of the Sand-Martin in Asia Minor ; but Irby frequently 

 saw them at Gibraltar before the end of l?ebruary. Wright says that they 

 pass through Malta a little later than the other Swallows ; and Naumann 

 asserts that they seldom arrive at their breeding-quarters in Germany until 

 early in May. In England they are frequently seen early in April. There 

 seems to be little doubt that the Sand-Martins are the earliest Swallows 

 to leave this country in autumn. During August their numbers rapidly 

 decrease, and by the middle of September very few remain, though I have 

 seen them on the Sussex coast as late as the middle of October. 



Immediately after its arrival in this country the Sand-Martin repairs to 

 its breeding-place, and the old holes are used as sleeping-places at night. 

 These holes are made in perpendicular earth-cliffs on the banks of rivers or 

 lakes, on the sea-shore, or in railway-cuttings, sand-pits, gravel-quarries, 

 or wherever a steep enough bank of suitable soil can be found, Sandy 

 ground is usually chosen because it is easiest to excavate; but it must not 

 be too loose, otherwise the sand would fall and bury the bird or her eggs. 

 Sometimes very curious sites are chosen. I have seen Sand-Martins flying 

 in and out of their holes which they had excavated in some enormous heaps 

 of half-rotten sawdust lying near the Brandon station of the Great Eastern 

 Railway. In Norway, between LiUehammer and the Dovrefjeld, many of 

 the peasants' houses are roofed with turf, and some of these thick roofs of 

 dry sandy peat are burrowed with nests of the Sand-Martin. 



In aU cases the bird excavates its own abode, and generally returns to 

 it several years in succession ; but I noticed on the banks of the Danube 

 many deserted colonies close to others where the birds were swarming. 



