Hab. The whole of the western Patearctio Region, extcncling into Central Asia anil into the Iiiilian
Peninsula. Wintering in the latter locality aud iu Africa.
T h e H o u s e -M a r tiii is e a s ily re o o g tiiz e d from tlio o tlie r spec ie s o f th o g e n u s Chelidon
b y i t s s tro n g ly fo rk e d ta il. T h o o n ly o th e r sp e c ie s w h ic h h a s n o b la c k s p o t u p o n th o
c h in , b u t h a s 't h e lo n g u p p e r ta il-c o v e rts b la c k , is C. c a shm ir ie n s is . T h e l a t t e r sp e c ie s,
h ow e v e r, m a y b e d is tin g u is h e d h y i t s sm a lle r size, le s s fo rk e d ta il, a n d b y th e sm o k y -
b row n t in g e w h ic h p e rv a d e s th e w h ite u n d e r s u rf a c e . A s a g e n e r a l r u l e th o above-
n am e d c h a r a c te r s a r c s u ff ic ie n t to d i s tin g u is h tb e tw o sp ec ie s, b u t i t m u s t bo c o n fe s sed
th a t t h e sm o k v -h row n t i n t o f th e u n d e r su rf a c e in C. c a shm ir ie n s is is o f te n to b e fo u n d
in e x am p le s o f C. u rh ica . On o sp e c im e n o f a y o u n g h ird , s h o t n e a r l l o v o in S u s se x , on
th e U t i l o f O c to b e r, w o u ld c e r t a in ly b e a s c rib e d to C. c a shm ir ie n s is b u t fo r i ts d e e p ly
fo rk e d t a i l , w h ic li sh ow s t h a t i t is C. u rh ica .
A s f a r a s th e B r i t is h Is la n d s a r e c o n c e rn e d , th e l l a r t i n a p p e a rs e v e ryw h e re to h e a
s um m e r v i s it a n t, b e in g a s c om m o n in I r e l a n d a s i t is in E n g la n d , a n d n e s t in g ns f a r
n o r th a s S h e tla n d a n d t h e O rk n e y I s l a n d s . I t o c c u rs a lso in a l l th o is la n d s o f th e I n n e r
U e b rid e s , a n d , u n t i l la t e ly , w a s su p p o s e d to b e a b s e n t in th e O u te r H e b rid e s , b u t in
18 8 7 th e l l e v . H . A. M a c p h e r s o n re c o rd e d a sp e c im e n fr om S t. K ild a , a n d M e s s rs .
H a rv ic -B row n a n d B u c k le y g iv e N o r th E o n a y a s a n a d d itio n a l lo c a lity .
A n e x c e lle n t a c e o n n t o f th e d i s tr ih u tio n o f th o M a r tin in N o r th e r n E u ro p e is g iv e n
in M r . D r e s s e r’s ‘ B ird s o f E u ro p e ,’ to w h ic h th e r e se em s l i t t l e to h o a d d e d . I n th e
E a ro e s , a c c o rd in g to M r . B e n z o n ’s n o te , th e M a r tin n o t n n f r e q u o n tly a p p e a rs in s p rin g ,
h u t does n o t b re e d . I n I c e l a n d its o c c u rre n c e s a r e v e r y r a ro , a n d n o in s ta n c e s o f i ts
b re e d in g in th o i s la n d a r e o n re c o rd , th o u g h E a h e r s ta te s t l ia t iu 183U a few p a irs
b e - a n to n e s t in I lu s e v ig in N o r th e r n I c e la n d , b u t v e ry so o n lo ft th e lo c a lity .
“ I n S c a n d in a v ia th o sp e c ie s is g e n e r a lly d is tr ib u te d o v e r th e c e n t r a l a n d s o u th e rn
d is tr ic ts , b u t b e c om e s r a r e r th a n th e Sw a llow in th o e x tr em e n o r th . M r . C o lle tt’s n o te
is a s fo llows “ I t b re e d s in c o lo n ie s th r o u g h o u t th o e a s te rn p a r ts o f N o rw a y , b u t is
le s s n um e ro u s o n th e w e s t co a s t, th o u g h n o t u n c om m o n , a n d n e s ts c om m o n ly in some
p la c e s a s f o r in s ta n c e , a t B e rg e n . O n th o fe lls i t b re e d s in a n d a b o v e th o b irc h -re g io n .
i n co lm iies in tlio ro o k s o n th e E illc fje ld , H n g a k o ll e n in V a ld e rs , th e K v a in c n a a s e t in
O ie th o B la a h o e rn e , a n d o th e r p la c e s in th o D o v r e r a n g e .” M r . D r e s s e r s ta te s t h a t
P a s to r S om m e rte lt fo u n d i t b re e d in g h e r e a n d th e r e in E a s t E in .n a r k a s f y ‘ “ S
V a rd o , a n d , a c c o rd in g to IT o llo y , a c o lo n y b ro d in a c liff n e a r th e B o g fjo rd in
S o u th V a r a n g e r . I t is c om m o n th r o u g h o u t Sw ed e n , a n d v is its L a p la n d , w h e re
M r . A. C. C h a pm a n fo u n d th em a r r iv in g a n d c om m e n c in g to b re e d o n th o 4 th o f
J u n e . M r. D r e s s e r n o tic e d i t e v e ryw h e re in th e p a r t s o f F in l a n d t h a t h e v is ite d ,
h u t v o n AAYight sa y s t h a t i t o n ly g o es a s f a r n o r th a s A a v a s a k s a , a l i t t l e a b o v e
D r . P le s k c , in h is w o rk o n th e A lam m a ls a u d B ird s o f th e K o la P e n in s u la , g iv e s
th e d a te o f i ts a r r iv a l in S ad a n k y d ii a s th e IS t li o f M a y , in K a rc s u a n d o a s th e I 7 t h to
t h e 3 0 th o f M a y , in E t s jo ld a s th e 1 s t a n d -Itli o f J u n e , in E n a r e a s th e 1 3 th o f M a y ,
a n d in M u o n io a s th e 1 -lth o f J u n e . I t is re c o rd e d a s th e c om m o n e s t b re e d in g b ird in
th e K a n d a la k s c lia d is tr ic t.
I n R u s s ia i t is sa id to b e g e n e ra lly d is tr ib u te d , a n d w a s fo u n d b y M r. M ev e s
a t A r c h a n g e l. M e s s rs . A ls to n a n d H a rv ie -B row n s ta te t h a t th e y n o tic e d IIo u s e -
M a r tin s a t St. P e t e r s b u r g , M’u itc g ra , a n d A r c h a n g e l, in w h ic h l a t t e r p la c e th e y n e s te d
am o n g th e s to n e c a rv in g s o f th e Im p e r ia l B a rr a c k s . M r. S e eb o hm a n d M r. H a rv ie -
l i r o w n d id n o t m e e t w ith i t o n th e P e tc h o r a , b n t M r . S a b a iia e tf s ta te s t h a t i t is fo u n d
in th e U r a l M o u n ta in s , a s h ig h os 00°. T a c z a n ow sk y re c o rd s th e M a r tin a s a sum m e r
v i s it a n t to P o la n d , b u t s ta te s t h a t i t h a s b e c om e m u c h le s s p le n tifu l d u r iu g th e la s t
tw e n ty y ea rs.
T h ro u g h o u t a ll th o o th e r c o u n trie s o f E u r o p e th o M a r tin se em s to n e s t, a r r iv in g
a n d c om m e n c in g to b u ild in th e s o u th m u c h e a r lie r th a n i t d o es in th e n o r th . T h u s
M r. B c n z o n c o n s id e rs t h a t i t is a t l e a s t five d a y s l a t e r in its a r r iv a l in D e nm a rk th a n it
is in E n g l a n d ; w h ile s t il l f u r th e r to th e s o u th , M r. H ow a rd S a u n d e r s fo u n d th o b ird s
h u s v b u ild in g th e i r n e s ts a t S e v ille o n th e 1 9 th o f E c b r u a ry . M r . T a i t s a y s t h a t in
P o r tu g a l th o a v e ra g e d a te fo r th o a r r iv a l o f th e sp e c ie s a t C o im b ra is th o 19 th o f E e hm a ry ,
a n d t h a t fo r d e p a r tu r e th o 7 th o f O c to b e r ; th e s e d a te s a r e g iv e n by S e n h o r C a rv a lh o as
t lie r e s u lt o f tw e n ty - th r e e y e a rs ’ e x p e rie n c e . M r. T a it say s t h a t in 188 7 h o n o tic e d a
M a r tin a t A b r a n te s , o n th o T a g u s , o u th e 2 n d o f F e b ru a ry .
C o lo n e l I r b y g iv e s th o 3 th o f E e h m a r y a s th e e a rlie s t d a te o f a r r iv a l n o tic e d h y liim
a t G i b r a l t a r ; a iid th e spec ie s is fo u n d a ll o v e r S p a in , e x c e p t in th o B a s q u e P ro v in c e s ,
Avhere, a c c o rd in g to M r. H ow a rd S a u n d e r s , i t is a lm o s t u n k n ow n , tlio u g li i t is p le u lifu l
a l i tt l e fu r th e r to th e ea st.
T b o M a r tin is a lso c om m o n iu I t a ly in M a r c h a n d A p r il, r e tu r n in g in S e p tom h c r
a n d O c to b e r. C o u n t S a lv a d o ri c o n s id e rs i t u n lik e ly t h a t th e sp ec ie s b re e d s iu I t a ly ,
c e r ta in ly n o t in th e s o u th e rn p a r t, w h ile B e n o it’s s ta t em e n t t h a t i t w in te r s tlie r e is also
s ta te d to b e erro n eo u s .
D o d e rlo in m e n tio n s t h a t th e sp o cies w in te rs in S ic ily , h u t th e r e is n o re c o rd o f its
w in te r in g in C o rs ic a o r S a rd in ia , w h e re , h ow e v e r, th o sp e c ie s b re e d s a b u n d a n tly .
M r. G o dm a ii’s n o te u p o n tlio speeies in tb e C a n a ry I s la n d s is a s f o l l o w s " T b is
sp ec ie s is n o t re c o rd e d a s a re s id e n t h y o th e r o b s e rv e rs , a n d p e r h a p s is o n ly a c c i d e n t a l ;
i r a t a s I saw a p a ir t h a t h a d a n e s t a t S t. A n n a in M a d e ir a , I in c lu d e it. I d id n o t m e e t
w i th i t in t h e C a n a rie s o r elsew h e re . B o llc s a y s h e sarv sw a rm s o t tlie n i a t (lliv a , in
P u c r t e v e n tu r a , in A p r il 1862. H o rem a rk s t h a t th e y d is a p p e a re d a s q u ic k ly a s tlic y
c am e .” M r. M ea d e -IV a ld o , h ow e v e r, m e t w ith th e M a r tin in th e C a n a rie s in th o u s a n d s ,'
a n d h e co n s id e rs i t to h e now a r e g u la r s p rin g a n d a u tum n m ig ra n t.
I l l A ii’c r ia i t n e s ts in th e tow n s a u d v illa g e s , a c c o rd in g to Uoche. M r. Di.xon say s
t h a t h o m e t w ith M a r tin s e v e ryw h e re from tb e co a s t to B is k r a . M r. S a lv in n o tic e d
s e v e ra l a t S o u z a , a n d a g a in a t T u n is . D r . K o e n ig h a s se e n th o s])ecics in th o l a t t e r
3 M 2