SAND MARTIN. 
265 
power, which enables these little birds to overcome such 
difficulties ? 
Those holes which are completed, if no meddling hand 
has intruded to widen the orifice, are not sufficiently 
large to admit the arm, and from eight to eighteen inches 
deep. The doorway, which they seem most anxious to 
protect, is the narrowest part of the hole, which becomes 
wider towards the nest. In places where they have been 
yearly subject to disturbance, failing to touch the eggs at 
arm's length, I have only succeeded in doing so by the ad¬ 
dition of a hooked stick, which reached them at the depth 
of from five to six feet. The Martins usually make their 
holes near the top of the bank, being evidently most in 
fear of enemies from below. I once saw a colony in great 
consternation, without being able for some time to dis¬ 
cover the cause of alarm, when I observed a weasel, 
which made its entree from above, passing from one hole 
to another, and no doubt making dire havoc either 
amongst the old birds or their young ones. 
Besides the banks of rivers, which are their favourite 
haunts, there are many parts of the sea-coast to which 
the Sand Martins resort to breed. Their nests may be 
also occasionally met with in the banks of quarries and 
deserted sand-pits. 
The outside of the nest is loose and flat, and of dry 
grass, profusely lined with the feathers of ducks and 
geese, more especially those from the breasts of these 
birds, which, in their natural curve, give the roundness 
of the interior of the nest. Mr. Wolley informs me that 
at Burlington, in Yorkshire, the Sand Martins make 
their nests of sea-weed. The eggs, which are four or 
five, and rarely six in number, are, whilst the yoke is in 
them, beautifully tinged with pink. 
Whilst watching the evolutions of some Norwegian 
