Although arriving in this country somewhat later than the Swallow, the Martin may be said to have nearly the same geographical range. Mr. Yarrell thought that the Swallow did not go so far north as the Martin,[70] but both are found in summer in Iceland and the Faroe Isles. Mr. Dann remarked that there was no want of food for them in Norway and Lapland, as the morasses in the sheltered valleys swarm with insects. During the season that it is absent from England it resides in North Africa, Egypt, Nubia and Abyssinia, Palestine, Arabia, and North-west India. Capt. Irby states (“Ibis,” 1861, p. 233) that it is common in the cold season in Oudh, and Col. Tickell observed great numbers at Moulmein; but they appeared from time to time, and not constantly, like H. rustica.[71] With regard to Palestine, it seems probable that the Martin spends the greater portion of the year there, for Canon Tristram found it breeding in colonies on the sheltered faces of cliffs in the valleys of Northern Galilee. Mr. Wright says (“Ibis,” 1864, p. 57) that in Malta it is seen at the same seasons as the Swallow, but stays part of the winter, when H. rustica has departed. Dr. Giglioli observes that it arrives at Pisa at the end of March, at which time it has also been noticed at Gibraltar.
The movements of this bird and others of the genus have been concisely illustrated by Mr. Forster in a communication to the LinnÆan Society, in the following table, giving the mean date of arrival:
| Naples. | Rome. | Pisa. | Vienna. | Bruges. | London. | |
| Swallow | Feb. 27. | Mar. 3. | Mar. 5. | Mar. 25. | Ap. 5. | Ap. 15. | |
| Sand Martin | Ap. 3. | Ap. 5. | Ap. 8. | Ap. 12. | Ap. 25. | Ap. 25. | |
| House Martin | Ap. 10. | Ap. 15. | Ap. 16. | Ap. 20. | May 1. | May 1. | |
| Swift | Ap. 15. | Ap. 18. | Ap. 20. | Ap. 23. | Ap. 30. | May 3. | |
The spring tide of migration appears to set in along the entire coast-line of the Mediterranean, and in a direction almost due north. I do not remember to have seen any record of the occurrence of the Martin on the west coast of Africa, although there seems to be no reason why it should not accompany the Swallow there in winter.
Both species will rear two broods in a season; and this fact, doubtless, will account for the prolonged stay in autumn of the later fledged birds, which are not sufficiently strong on the wing to join the main body of emigrants at the usual time of their departure.
SAND MARTIN
