OF SELBORNE, 
LETTER XX. 
TO THE SAME. 
DEAR SIR, Seleorue, Feb. 26, 1774. 
The fand-martin, or bank-martin, is by much the leaft of any 
of the BntifJj hirundines; and, as far as we have ever feen, the fmalleft 
known hirundo : though Briffbn aflerts that there is one much 
fmaller, and that is the hirundo efculenta. 
But it is much to be regretted that it is fcarce poffible for any 
obferver to be fo full and exaft as he could wifh in reciting the 
circumftances attending the life and converfation of this little bird, 
fince it is fera naturd, at leaft in this part of the kingdom, difclaim- 
ing all domeftic attachments, and haunting wild heaths and com- 
mons where there are large lakes : while the other fpecies, efpeci- 
ally the fwallow and houfe-martin, are remarkably gentle and 
domefticated, and never feem to think themfelves fafe but under 
the protection of man. 
Here are in this parifh, in the fand-pits and banks of the lakes 
of Woolmer-forefr, feveral colonies of thefe birds ; and yet they are 
never feen in the village ; nor do they at all frequent the cottages 
that are fcattered about in that wild diftridt. The only inftance I 
ever remember where this fpecies haunts any building is at the 
town oiBiJhop's Waltham, in this county, where many fand-martins 
neftle and breed in the fcaffold-holes of the back-wall of William of 
Wykeham's ftables : but then this wall Hands in a very fequeftered and 
retired 
