X88 BANK SWALLOW OR SAND MARTIN. 



saw them was before sunrise, when I stood by the side of Lieutenant Percy 

 of our Navy, on the deck of the United States' schooner the Spark, then at 

 anchor opposite St. Augustine. The weather though warm, was thick and 

 drizzly, so that we could not see to a great distance; but as probably some 

 hundreds of thousands passed close to the vessel, in long and rather close 

 flocks, I was well enabled to assure myself that the birds were of this species. 

 On expressing my surprise and delight at beholding so vast a concourse, 

 Lieutenant Percy assured me, that he had seen them on all the streams 

 which he had visited south of where we then were. The weather cleared 

 up in a few hours, the sun shone brightly, and the little creatures were 

 seen all around, dipping into the water to wash themselves, gambolling 

 close over its surface, and busily engaged in procuring insects, which in that 

 country are always abundant. In the course of the same season I also ob- 

 served a good number of our Green-backed and Barn Swallows — but few 

 compared with what are seen about New Orleans. 



We can thus account for the early appearance of the Bank Swallows 

 in our Middle Districts. That species always arrives there sooner than 

 the rest, sometimes preceding them by a fortnight, and keeping equally in 

 advance as far northward as its range extends. The Green-backed Swallow, 

 Hirundo bicolor, follows closely after it; then the Purple Martin, Hirundo 

 purpurea; after which are seen the Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, and 

 lastly, on our eastern Atlantic coasts, the American Swift, Cypselus Ame- 

 ricanus. It is probable that these species extend their autumnal migra- 

 tions southward in a degree proportionate to the lateness of their appear- 

 ance in Spring. I have likewise observed the arrival of the Bank Swallows 

 on the waters of the Serpentine River and those of the Regent's Park, in 

 London, to be in the same proportion earlier than that of the other species 

 which visit England in spring, and have thought that, as with us, the first 

 mentioned species retire to a less distance in winter than the rest. 



The Bank Swallow has been observed on both sides of North America, 

 and in all intermediate places suited to its habits. This is easily accounted 

 for, when we reflect how easy it is for these birds to follow our great 

 water-courses to their very sources. Even the ponds and lakes of our vast 

 forests are at times visited by them; but no person seems to have been 

 aware of the existence of two species of Bank Swallows in our country, 

 which, however, I shall presently shew to be the case. 



Wherever, throughout the United States, sand-banks or artificial excava- 

 tions occur, there is found the Bank Swallow during the breeding season, 

 in greater or smaller numbers, according to the advantages presented by 

 the different localities, not only along the shores of our rivers and lakes, 

 but also on the coasts of the Atlantic, and not unfrequently in inland situa- 



