140 
BANK SWALLOW, OR SAND MARTIN. 
BANK SWALLOW; OR, SAND MARTIN HIRUNDO 
RIPARIA. — Plate XXXVIII. Fig. 4. 
Lath. Syn. iv. p. 568, 10 — Arct. Zool. ii. No. 332 L’Hirondelle de rivage, Buff. 
vi. 632. Pl. enl. 543, f. 2. — Turt. Syst. 629. — Peale's Museum , No. 7637. 
IlIRUNDO ? RIPARIA ?— Linn/E us.* 
Hirundo riparia, Bonap. Synop. p. 65. — Cotile riparia, Boje. 
This appears to be the most sociable with its kind, and the 
least intimate with man, of all our Swallows ; living together 
in large communities of sometimes three or four hundred. 
On the high sandy bank of a river, quarry, or gravel pit, at 
a foot or two from the surface, they commonly scratch out 
holes for their nests, running them in a horizontal direction to 
the depth of two and sometimes three feet. Several of these 
holes are often within a few inches of each other, and extend 
in various strata along the front of the precipice, sometimes 
for eighty or one hundred yards. At the extremity of this 
hole, a little fine dry grass, with a few large downy feathers, 
* I have been unable to compare specimens of these birds from both 
countries, but from the best authorities, I am induced to consider them identical. 
A doubt has been expressed by Vieillot, who considered the American bird as 
possessing a greater length of tarsus, and having that part also clothed with 
short plumes. Bonaparte has, again, from actual comparison, said they were 
entirely similar. 
As in America, they are the first Swallow which appears in this country, 
arriving soon after the commencement of March. Their breeding-places are 
in the same situations, but often pierced into the banks for a much greater 
length. If the bank is sandy and easily scratched, seven or eight feet will 
scarcely reach the extremity, a wonderful length, if we consider the powers of 
the worker. 
They are abundant over every part of North America, and were met by 
Dr Richardson in the 68th parallel. “ We observed,” says that naturalist* 
“ thousands of these Sand Martins fluttering at the entrance of their burrows, 
near the mouth of the Mackenzie, in the 68th parallel, on the 4th of July. 
They are equally numerous in every district of the Fur Countries, wherein 
banks suitable for burrowing exist ; but it is not likely that they ever rear 
more than one brood north of the Lake Superior.” — Ed. 
