MARTIN. 
401 
same place, and rearing its nest even in the same 
hollow or corner. These, however, are its arti- 
ficial stations. In what may be called its wild or 
natural state, it would seem rather inclined to 
alpine situations, the windows of a Highland inn 
in a muirish or half alpine district being a very 
favourite resort, attracted probably from the 
neighbouring rocks by the greater variety of 
food incident to the vicinity of poultry and 
cattle ; its really natural breeding situations, by 
no means commonly met with, are generally 
on the face of some steep cliff or overhanging 
rock, to which the nests can be easily attached ; 
they are built at one spot, not dispersed to any 
distance, and often touch each other. Mr Selby 
mentions one of these natural eyries on the lofty 
precipices of St Abb’s Head. There was another 
on the rocks of the coast opposite the Bass Rock, 
where the whole colony, amounting to a hundred 
or a hundred and twenty, had their nests placed 
within the space of the roof of an ordinary-sized 
room under an overhanging rock. We met with 
another large colony in a more northern district, 
Sutherlandshire, where the face of a limestone 
precipice was occupied. These are busy and 
interesting communities ; the parent birds con- 
tinually flying to and fro, uttering their cheerful 
whistle of recognition of their own household, 
and bringing food to their young, or to their mate 
while incubating ; both sexes may often be seen 
in the nest together, and they spend the night 
thus. Any noise or interruption beneath causes 
2c 
