382 
APPENDIX. 
in my arm up to the shoulder, I was unable to reach the end ; 
therefore I fastened two pieces of bent wire to the end of my walking 
stick, and by this means drew out a portion of the nest, together 
with an egg. I tried again with a like result, and then, beginning 
to feel the sand giving way beneath my feet, I jumped down, when 
out flew a Sand Martin from the very hole at which I had been 
working. I then tried again, and drew out the remainder of the 
nest and a third egg. Having done so, I put the nest together again 
as well as I could, substituted a wooden egg for the real ones, and 
pushed the whole carefully back again. The nest was made of dry 
grass and stalks of plants, lined with large curved feathers. The 
eggs are rather smaller than the one figured by Hewitson, and are 
of a clear spotless white, the yolks causing rather a pinkish tinge. 
... I notice that those holes which are nearest the ground are 
almost invariably very deep, Avhile those which are nearer the top of 
the bank, and not within easy reach, are seldom more than eighteen 
inches or two feet in depth. Probably this would not be the case 
if the birds were not so often disturbed as they are in this place. 
506. {June 28.) — In the morning the Sand IMartins were carry- 
ing feathers into the nest from Avhich I took the eggs yesterday 
(500) ; but later in the day some boys pelted the birds away, and 
stopped up the mouth of the hole Avith stones. I removed them 
soon afterAvards, but waited in A^ain for the birds to return to the 
hole. 
507. I obserA^e that all the Sand Martins’ holes AAdiich are just 
begun are deepest in the centre, and that the marks of the birds’ 
bills are nearly ahvays from side to side, but neA^er vertical. The 
holes A^ary in diameter, and are seldom perfectly round. They are 
generally as though slightly flattened from above. 
510. (^June 29, Wednesday ^ — In the evening I went to look at 
the Sand jMartin’s hole above the one from AA^hich I took the eggs 
on IMonday. The birds must haA^e Avorked very hard, for the hole 
Avas nine inches deeper, and there was a very small quantity of hay 
ill it, on AAdiich one egg AA^as laid. I have often known a hole deep- 
ened after having been interfered with, although the nest itself was 
already begun. 
510. {July 5.) — On the eA^ening of the 28th (506), I removed 
the stones Avith which some boys had stopped up a Sand Martin’s 
