I have stated tliat the House-Martin, like its congeners, is a summer visitant only, arriving in spring, at the 
appointed time, almost to a day ; this is neither early nor late in the season, generally about the middle of 
April ; thus it is later in its arrival than the Sand-Martin and Swallow, and earlier than the Swift, which 
does not appear until the beginning of May. Where, then, does the fairy little Martin spend its days when 
not with us ? We have seen, from Mr. Crowley’s note, that it certainly goes to Spain ; and, in my opinion, 
it proceeds still further south to Morocco, the winter quarters of by far the greater portion of our 
migrants. So much is generally known respecting this bird that it is scarcely necessary for me to state it 
is found in all parts of Britain, and that it is equally numerous in the warm lowlands as on the sides of the 
bleakest mountains; wherever human habitations e.xist, there assuredly will be found this pleasing wan- 
derer. In all these situations it rears one or two broods a year, according to the more or less favourable 
state of the season. It is believed that as soon as the duty of incubation has been completed and the 
young are able to assist themselves, the old birds forsake their progeny and wing their way back to whence 
they came, leaving instinct to perform its wonderful power of guiding the young to the “ unknown land” to 
which their parents have preceded them. Besides the British Islands, the House-Martin ranges as far 
north as the Ferroe Islands and Iceland ; it is also found in every part of Europe, from the shores of the 
Mediterranean to Uleabourg ; as with us, it is everywhere a summer sprite, whose appearance gladdens 
the hearts of the inhabitants, assuring them by its appearance that summer is not far behind. I am not 
satisfied that it is not found in other countries further east ; at the same time I much question whether the 
assertion of its being a native of Amoorland, Kamtschatka, and even China be correct; indeed I feel assured that 
the bird is not found therein, hut that the species mistaken for it is probably the one I have called Chelidon 
CasJmirietms, which may also be the bird Mr. Jerdon speaks of in his ‘ Birds of India,’ under the name of 
English House-Martin, as having been found by him in small numbers, in one locality, on the Neilgherries. 
It may, however, extend its range throughout Persia, to the confines of India ; hut we have no direct evidence 
of the fact. The Rev. H. B. Tristram states that “ it is the last of the Swallow tribe to return to Palestine, 
where it appears in great numbers about April 5th, and breeds in colonies on the sheltered faces of cliffs in the 
valleys of northern Galilee.” The chief differences between C. Cashmiriensis and C. whica is the smaller 
size of the former, and particularly the darker colours of its axillary feathers. 
“The ease and i-apidity of its flight, however marvellous, excites no astonishment, as we are dally in the 
habit of witnessing them,” says Macgillivray ; “ hut a true lover of nature can, nevertheless, contemplate its 
airy windings for hours with delight. The evolutions of this species resemble, in all respects, those of the 
Swallow; hut its flight is perhaps somewhat less rapid, although it is certainly very difficult to decide with 
accuracy in a comparison of this kind. Its sweeps and curves, however, seem to me less bold, or, rather, 
less extended ; but its dexterity is equally remarkable. The influence of the weather on the flight of insects 
causes it to observe the same selection of places that they do ; so that, in calm and cloudless days it flies 
more in the open air, in windy weather more in the shelter of hedges and walls, and in damp evenings it 
skims over the grass and corn.” 
To give some idea of the numbers of insects which these birds capture to feed their young, besides those 
taken for their own support, I may mention that one of Macgillivray’s correspondents informed him that a 
pair of Martins began to feed their young ones, four in number, at twenty-five minutes after four o’clock in 
the morning; and at ten minutes after eight in the evening, when they ceased from their labours, they had 
fed them no less than 307 times : this was on a bright sunny day ; on a subsequent dull rainy one, they only 
fed them 212 times. 
The male Martin slightly differs from the female in size, being smaller, and having a less forked tail ; 
in other respects the two sexes are externally alike. 
The nest, which is built of pellets of mud collected by the bird, is lined with a layer of straws, and some- 
times wool, and, lastly, a number of feathers ; the eggs are four or five in number, of a pure white, without 
spots, but with a blush of flesh-colour showing through the almost transparent shell. 
The two figures, in the upper part of the Plate, are of the natural size. 
