MARTIN. 105 
MARTIN. 
CHELIDON uRBICcA, Linn. 
Pl. XVIL., figs. 8, 9. 
Geogr. distr.—Europe generally in summer; Africa in winter; 
eastward as far as Persia: generally throughout England, Scotland, 
and Ireland. 
Food.—Insects. 
Nest.—A semicircular structure formed of mud pellets mixed with 
straw, and with a small opening in front at the top; lined with grass- 
straws, wool, feathers, and hair. 
Position of nest.—Fastened under porches, archways, or eaves, over 
windows; or under window-sills or ledges projecting from the face of 
a rock. 
Number of eggs.—4-5. 
Time of nidvfication.—V-VII1; June. 
I have always found the nest of this species more brittle 
than that of the Swallow; those which I have examined 
contained less admixture of straw with the mud, and were 
thinner as well as deeper than those of H. rustica, so that, 
whereas the nest of the latter could be detached without 
injury by letting down a metal dipper full of hay below it, 
and simply jerking it upwards, the nest of the Martin, 
though carefully held in front whilst a knife was passed 
round the edges, invariably got broken in removal. 
The Martin is a sociable bird, and it is not uncommon 
(at any rate in Kentish villages) to see six or eight nests in 
a row under the eaves of a house, two or more of them some- 
times close together. The eggs are said to be laid towards 
the end of May, but I am convinced that this is rarely the 
case, at any rate in the South of England, where I have 
usually been unable to obtain eggs before the second week 
in June, whereas eggs of the Swallow can be obtained in 
the first week of May. ‘he Martin arrives in this country 
in April, about a week later than the Swallow: commences 
to build in May (generally about the middle of the month), 
and the completed nest sometimes remains about eight 
days before the first egg is laid, but I cannot say that this 
is always the case, as I have only twice had an opportunity 
of ascertaining the fact. 
The song of the Martin is inferior to that of the Swallow, 
and consists of a low twittering mingled with a few 
melodious notes. 
