BANK SWALLOW OR SAND MARTIN. 189 



tions, at some distance from any water. High banks, composed of softish 

 sandy earth, on the shores of rivers, lakes, or other waters, suit them best, 

 and in such situations their colonies are far more numerous than elsewhere. 

 The banks of the Ohio, and some parts of those of the Mississippi, called 

 "Bluffs," have appeared to me to be most resorted to by this species in 

 our western and southern districts, although I have met with considerable 

 numbers in every State of the Union. 



In Louisiana this species begins to breed early in March, and generally 

 rears two, sometimes three broods in a season. In our Middle Districts it 

 commences about a month later, or about the period at which it lays in Ken- 

 tucky, and there produces two broods. In Newfoundland and Labrador, it 

 rarely begins to breed before the beginning of June, and lays only once. 

 Dr. Richardson states, that he saw "thousands of these Swallows near the 

 mouth of the Mackenzie, in the sixty-eighth parallel, on the 4th of July," 

 and from the state of the weather at that period supposed that they had 

 arrived there at least a fortnight prior to that date, but no specimens were 

 brought to England, and the description given in the Fauna Boreali-Ameri- 

 cana is a mere transcript of that which in itself is quite imperfect. Indeed, 

 there is not in any work with which I am acquainted an account of the Sand 

 Swallow sufficiently minute and accurate to characterize in an adequate 

 manner that very common species. 



The sociability and gentleness of these birds, the lightness and vigour 

 with which they perform their various evolutions, the low and unobtrusive 

 twittering of their voice, in short, all their actions and economy, are delight- 

 ful to contemplate. Their flight is exceedingly graceful, light, yet firm, and 

 capable of great continuance. They seem indeed as if created for the pur- 

 pose of spending their time on wing, for they alight less often to rest when 

 full grown than any other of our species, when not sitting on their eggs, and 

 are seen abroad searching for food later in the dusk, retiring for the night as 

 late, I think, as our Swift, Cypselus Jlmericanus. As they procure their 

 food more commonly than the other species along the margins or over the 

 surface of pools, lakes, rivers, or even the sea, their flight is generally per- 

 formed at a small elevation, which is the case with others only when the 

 wind blows smartly, or the atmosphere is damp and chill. The movements 

 of their wings are those common to the family of Swallows, which flap these 

 members less frequently than perhaps any other small land birds. The 

 wings act on the hinge formed by the carpal joint, opening and closing like 

 the blades of scissors. Their sailings, though frequent, are not extensive, 

 and their tail appears to be of great service to them, as you observe that on 

 the least deviation from a straight course, it becomes suddenly more or less 

 closed or inclined upward, downward, or sideways; and when you see some 



