404 
SAND MARTIN. 
bers, and previous to migration congregate largely 
together, often resting on the sandy parts of the 
shores of lakes or of the sea, when their breeding 
places have been near the latter ; at this time the 
cause of alighting may both be to rest the young 
birds and to procure food, for, as we stated in a 
note to Wilson’s Ornithology, we once observed 
many hundreds of the Sand Martin resting on the 
sands of the Solway Frith, upon a space not ex- 
ceeding two acres ; a small stream entered the 
sea, and they seemed partly resting and washing, 
and partly feeding on a small fly that had appa- 
rently come newly to existence, and covered the 
sands in immense profusion. 
This Martin is distributed generally over Bri- 
tain and the continent of Europe, extending in 
the former to the Orkneys. In the Old World, 
we do not authentically know its exact range ; 
but in America, the species are now generally 
considered to be identical. Mr Audubon has 
placed them as such, and the Prince of Musi- 
gnano, though using a query, has placed both 
species opposite in his comparative list. 
The upper parts, except the tail covers, sides 
of the head, and a band across the breast, are of 
a deep hair brown ; the wings and tail brownish 
black, in some lights appearing slightly glossed 
with greenish ; the lower parts of the body, with 
the upper tail covers, are white, shaded slightly 
on the flanks with hair brown. 
The remaining British swallows, concluding 
