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THE HOUSE-MARTIN {Chelidon urbica). 



There seems to have been very little movement amongst the House- 

 Martins daring August, but in parts of Lancashire and Devon some of the 

 local birds disappeared during the last week, and in Derby a distinct 

 increase was noted on the 29th. 



As in the case of the Swallow, the disappearance of this species from 

 each locality seems to have been largely influenced by the lateness of 

 the broods, &c, for while in one part of a county the birds bred locally 

 disappeared at an early date, in another part they remained till later. 



During the first fortnight of September the local birds left their 

 summer-quarters in various parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Shropshire 

 and Hants, while migratory parties were noticed passing through these 

 counties as well as through Derby, Kent and Somerset. In the latter 

 county migrations were noticed (as in the case of the Swallow, with 

 which they were often in company) passing along the Mendip Hills to 

 the east. On the 2nd a large party, consisting of several hundred birds, 

 was noted oft'Orford Lt. (Suffolk) travelling S.S.E. 



During the last fortnight the migratory movements increased and 

 parties were noticed every day in one or other of the following counties : 

 the Lie of Man, Lancashire, Cheshire, Denbigh, Yorkshire, Derby, Shrop- 

 shire, Norfolk, Berkshire, Wilts, Somerset, Devon, Hants, Kent; while 

 local birds had left parts of Denbigh, Shropshire, Norfolk, Wilts and 

 Kent. It was generally noted that migratory parties appeared duringthe 

 dav, collected towards the evening and departed, though in some cases 

 they lingered for a day or two before going. 



On the night of September the 29th House-Martins were noted 

 among the other emigrating species at the Eddystone Lt. (Cornwall). 



By the beginning of October the numbers had evidently much 

 diminished throughout the country. During the first fortnight small 

 movements were noted every day in the counties mentioned above, 

 while on the 4th a large migratory movement was recorded from Devon 

 and Hants, and on that night some House-Martins were recorded 

 from St. Catherine's Lt. (Isle of Wight) with other emigratory species. 

 Another large emigration was noted in Kent on the 14th, the birds con- 

 tinuing to pass throughout the day to the south-west. 



During the last fortnight of October the migratory movements were, 

 with one or two exceptions, small and almost entirely confined to the 

 south-eastern counties. On the 20th a large emigration was recorded 

 in Hants, the birds passing to the south-west. The last House-Martins 

 were recorded from Derby on the 12th, Lancashire on the 13th, 

 Yorkshire on the 14th, Wilts on the loth, Norfolk on the 17th, the Isle 

 of .Man mi the 20th, Shropshire on the 24th, Middlesex on the 30th, and 

 Worcester od the 31st, while during November stragglers were recorded 



