SWALLOWS AND MARTINS L441 
made of dry grass and moss, 
lined with horse-hair and covered 
externally with spider-webs and * 
lichens, is usually placed in 
some sheltered position, such as 
a crevice in the bark of a tree 
or in the creepers covering the 
trellis-work of a house; and 
owing to the skilful way in which 
it is covered externally, so as 
to resemble its surroundings, is 
difficult to find. 
The SWALLOWS and 
MARTINS constitute an exceed- 
ingly well-defined group of birds, 
and one which holds a_con- 
spicuously high place in the 
regard of mankind, finding a 
welcome everywhere on account of the great benefits they confer by the removal of insect- 
pests in the shape of the smaller gnats and flies. These, were they not kept in check 
by the Swallow Tribe, would render most parts of the world uninhabitable. Rarely seen 
upon the ground, save when procuring mud for the construction of their nests, the birds of 
this group are all peculiarly strong fliers, 
| turning and twisting with the greatest 
speed and precision. All have very short 
beaks and wide mouths, long wings and 
tails, and small and weak feet. 
A large number build their nests of 
mud, collected in small pellets and held 
together by the secretion of the salivary 
Photo by Ff. To Newma 
A PAIR OF WRENS 
Known nearly everywhere as the ‘¢ Kitty? or ** Fenny” Wren 
glands. These nests are commonly more 
or less cup-shaped, and fastened under 
the eaves of dwelling-houses or other 
buildings, or placed on a _ convenient 
beam or other ledge. The RED-RUMPED 
SWALLOWS and Farry MARTINS—species 
enjoying an enormous distribution, 
being found in India, Africa, America, 
and Australia — build very large flask- 
shaped nests, having the entrance pro- 
duced into a funnel often eight or 
nine inches in length. Others, like the 
SAND-MARTIN, excavate long tunnels, ter- 
minating in larger chambers, in the faces 
ofsand-banks—a performance which must 
certainly be regarded as wonderful, when 
one realises the feeble tools with which 
2 the task of excavating has to be per- 
iassaiby Scala selec d Mela NG formed. Some species utilise the holes 
pereciginm Teepe ik Nae eer yer alas ey made by other birds, in one species this 
; hole being itself bored within the burrow 
In winter wrens have a custom of seeking some hole or other convenient : 
shelter and huddling together in small parties for the sake of warmth of the viscacha. 
Io 
& wiles Te: is 
