50 
HIRUNDO RIPARIA. 
of an inch longer than the middle ones, and all of a 
uniform brown black ; lores, black ; whole lower parts, 
pure white ; wings, when shut, extend about a quarter 
of an inch beyond the tail; legs, naked, short, and 
strong, and, as well as the feet, of a dark purplish flesh 
colour ; claws, stout. 
The female has much less of the greenish gloss than 
the male, the colours being less brilliant: otherwise 
alike. 
73 . HIRUNDO RIPARIA , LINN. — BANK SWALLOW, OR SAND 
MARTIN. 
WILSON, PLATE XXXVIII. FIG. IV. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
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, form the bed 
on which their eggs, generally five in number, and 
pure white, are deposited. The young are hatched 
late in May ; and here I have taken notice of the com- 
mon crow, in parties of four or five, watching at the 
entrance of these holes, to seize the first straggling 
young that should make its appearance. From the 
clouds of swallows that usually play round these breeds 
ing places, they remind one at a distance of a swarm of 
bees. 
The bank swallow arrives here earlier than either of 
the preceding ; begins to build in April, and has com- 
monly two brood in the season. Their voice is a low 
