MARTIN — SAND-MARTIN. 
77 
MARTIN. Chelidon urbica (Linnaeus). 
“ House-Martin.” 
A summer migrant, commonly distributed, and breeding. — The House- 
Martin, like the Swallow, sometimes suffers much from the inclemency of the 
season on its first arrival, as Harley related happened in May, 1855. 
Being double and sometimes even treble-brooded, this species occasionally 
remains with us until very late; and Harley, writing in 1851, said: — “I have 
known the House-Martin to tarry with us in Leicestershire until the 23rd of 
November, and it is only a few years since the writer met with a nest of that 
species of Hiruncline containing pulli or squab young on one of the early days 
of that chilly ungenial month.” The ‘ Leicester Daily Mercury ’ of 15th July, 1887, 
gives the following : — “ A remarkable case of bird instinct has just occurred at 
Melton. A pair of Martins having built a nest on a house in the Nottingham 
road, found to their anger that a Sparrow had taken possession of it. In revenge 
the Martins commenced to build the intruder in. This they did most effectually, 
only leaving a little hole through which the Sparrow could thrust his head. The 
Sparrow, unable to get out, died with his head out of the small opening. The 
Martins then made a hole above, through which they could enter the nest, and 
the dead bird was used as a cushion on which the eggs were deposited. During 
the past few days some thoughtless person has demolished the nest, which had 
heen viewed by a large number of persons.” 
In Rutland. — A summer migrant, commonly distributed, and breeding. 
SAND-MARTIN. Cotile rijparia (Linnseus). 
“ Bank-Martin.” 
A summer migrant, commonly distributed, and breeding so close to Leicester 
as the Aylestone sand-pits. 
The late Mr. R. Widdowson’s diary records : — “ Saw white variety Sand-Martin, 
18th July, 1869.” 
In Rutland. — A summer migrant, commonly distributed, and breeding. — 
Mr. Horn writes me: — “On 20th May, 1886, I observed a pair of Sand-Martins 
flying up and down in front of my house. Not having seen a Sand-Martin in 
Uppingham before — the nearest colony being distant about two miles — I supposed 
they had come to search for food, the weather being cold and wet at the time* 
I watched them day by day, expecting each day would be the last of their visit, 
until the 30th IMay, when, to my surprise, I saw one of the birds gathering 
material for a nest, and after a short time I discovered the hole they had selected. 
Standing near the outskirts of the town is a stone wall about ten feet high, 
backed up with earth, in front of which passes a road. Along this road is a 
considerable amount of traffic, and any one passing on the footpath would literally 
brush against the wall. A row of detached houses stands between the wall and 
