50 
HIRUNDO RIPARIA. 
of an inch longer than the niidclle ones, and all of * 
uniform brown black ; lores, black ; whole lower parts* 
pure white ; wings, when shut, extend about a quartej 
of an inch beyond the tail; legs, naked, short, aO® 
strong, and, as well as the feet, of a dark purplish flesl* 
colour ; claws, stout. 
The female has much less of the greenish gloss tha’’ 
the male, the colours being less briUiaiit; otherwis* 
alike. 
73. HIRUNDO niVARIA, LINN. BANK SWALLOW, OB, SAND 
MARTIN. 
WILSON, PLATE XXXVIII. FIG. IV. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEC^ 
This appears to be the most sociable with its kio^i 
and the least intimate with man, of all our swallowS' 
living together in large communities of sometini^. 
three or four hundred. On the high sandy bank ** 
a river, quarry, or gravel pit, at a foot or two from tlj' 
surface, they commonly scratch out holes for tb<^ 
nests, running them in a horizontal direction to tbj 
depth of two and sometimes three feet. Several 
these holes are often within a few inches of ca<^ 
other, and extend in various strata along the front 
the precipice, sometimes for eighty or one hunilr^ 
yards. At the extremity of this hole, a little line dri 
grass, with a few large downy feathers, form the b‘j 
on which their eggs, generally five in number, a'*; 
pure white, are deposited. The young are hateb'^ 
late in May ; and here I have taken notice of the cOl''' 
mon crow, in parties of four or five, watching at 
entrance of these holes, to seize the first stragglb'^ 
young that should make its appearance. Fron^ 
clouds of swallows that usually play round these brC^ 
ing places, they remind one at a distance of a sn arm " 
bees. , 
The bank swallow arrives here earlier than either ^ 
the preceding; begins to build in April, and has coJ'^ 
monly two brood in the season. Their voice is a 1*’'* 
