BIRDS. 
123 
summer of 1885, although the next species was commoner 
than in most seasons. 
As a Caithness bird, the swallow is common, and known all 
over the county. Has been known to prolong its stay even 
as far north as Caithness until October or even November 
(0. MSS., 1868). 
According to our 188.5 observations — imperfect no doubt 
as those were — the chimney swallow was rare on the north 
coast, commonest or most frequently observed near Wick. 
Is rarer than formerly, but is still common. 
8o. Chelidon urbica {L.).^ House Martin. 
A summer visitant ; local and scarce, and occurs mostly in the 
south-east. One colony used to nest in a quarry or sandpit 
near the railway bridge over the Golspie Burn. We have 
seen a pair of these birds at Balnacoil, Strath Brora, flying 
about and resting on the house in July, but apparently the 
place was not suitable for breeding purposes, as after a day 
or two they departed. Local and rare in the west, and 
decreasing annually for some years prior to 1877. Used 
to breed in the limestone rocks of Stronchrubie, where we 
have only, however, in all our experience, found old nests, 
so they must have almost disappeared since Selby's record 
in 1834. St. John found them in caves close to Durness, 
but we saw nothing of them in 1881. Common at Tongue 
for a short time annually, but it seems doubtful if they 
breed there. Common at Inchnadamph in the summer of 
188.5 (J. Young, in lit.), as has been observed by us at many 
other localities in Scotland. 
" A much more abundant species on the east coast than the 
preceding, breeding in great numbers all round the high 
cliffs from Noss southwards, and there are always two or 
three colonies in the short space between the old castle. at 
the latter place and the termination of the cliffs in the 
direction of Ackeraill. The neiohboiu'hood of the ' Old 
o o 
