SAND MARTIN.
OWKNNOI, T GLENNYDD, OK THE ANCIENT 1UUTIS1I.
BANK MARTIN.
Hirundo riparia. PENNANT. MONTAGU.
Hirumh—A Swallow. Riparia—Of or belonging; to banks.
Ripa—A bank.
Tins DIMINUTIVE species of Swallow makes its way from Africa, along
the whole of which continent it is believed to be found, to its northern
summer haunts, and advances to all the south of I'hirope, and as far
as Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. It is said to be resident
in Malta all the year round. In Asia in Siberia and India, as likewise
in America it is met with.
It is somewhat local in its distribution with us: in fact, according
to the localities themselves, so is its frequentation of them.
In Yorkshire they breed near Burlington in the low cliffs by the
sea; also near Doncaster and Pocklington, and are pretty frequent in
favourable localities in other districts.
In Ireland it occurs, though not so plentifully as the others of its
race. In Scotland also. In the Orkney Islands these birds were formerly
more numerous than they arc at present. They frequent Skaill, Sanday,
and the Loch of Stenness. They also visit Shetland.
Sand banks, especially in the neighbourhood of water, are the
favourite resort of this species.
The Sand Martin, though one would think that the wild winds
would retard the progress of so tiny a traveller, arrives here rather
before the others of its congeners. On the 24th. of March, 1817, AV.
F. AV. Bird, Esq. has known it at Kidderminster, in A\ orcestcrshire.
Near Penzance more than a dozen were seen by Edward Ilearlc Redd,
Esq., on the 29th. of March, 1847. In two different seasons, it lias