BRITISH BIRDS. 
255 
THE MARTIN. 
MARTLET, MARTINET, OR WINDOW-SWALLOW. 
( Hirundo urlica y lAru—DHirondelle a cul blanc> Buff,) 
Length about five inches and a half: The bill 
is black; eyes dark hazel; infide of the mouth 
yellow ; the top of the head, the wings, and tail 
are of a dulky brown ; the back is black, gloffed 
with blue ; the rump and all the under parts of the 
body, from the chin to the vent, are of a pure 
white ; the ends of the fecondary quill feathers are 
finely edged with white ; the legs are covered with 
white downy feathers down to the claws, which are 
white alfo, and are very lharp and much hooked ; 
the middle toe is much longer than the others, and 
is connected with the inner one as far as the firft 
joint. 
This bird vifits us in great numbers ; it has ge- 
nerally two broods, fometimes three in the year ; 
it builds its nelt moft frequently againfl; the crags of 
