OF SELBOENE. 
197 
LETTER XX. 
TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 
Selborne, Feb. 26, 1774. 
*^^^^^^^^^T' -^-^ sand martin, or bank martin, is by 
much the least of any of the British Hirun- 
dines ; and as far as we have ever seen, the 
smallest known Hiriindo : though Brisson 
P asserts that there is one much smaller, and 
that is the Hlrundo esculenta. 
But it is much to be regretted that it is scarce possible 
for any observer to be so full and exact as he could wish in 
reciting the circumstances attending the life and conversa- 
tion of this little bird, since it is fera naturd, at least in this 
part of the kingdom, disclaiming all domestic attachments, 
and haunting wild heaths and commons where there are 
large lakes ; while the other species, especially the swallow 
and house martin, are remarkably gentle and domesticated, 
and never seem to think themselves safe but under the pro- 
tection of man. 
Here are in this parish, in the sand pits and banks of the 
lakes of Wolmer Forest, several colonies of these birds ; and 
yet they are never seen in the village ; nor do they at all 
frequent the cottages that are scattered about in that wild 
district. The only instance I ever remember where this 
species haunts any building is at the town of Bishop's Wal- 
tham, in this county, where many sand martins nestle and 
breed in the scaffold holes of the back wall of William of 
Wykeham's stables : but then this wall stands in a very 
sequestered and retired enclosure, and faces upon a large 
and beautiful lake. And indeed this species seems so to 
delight in large waters, that no instance occurs of their 
