Here are in this parish, in the sand-pits and banks of the lakes of
Wolmer-forest, several colonies of these birds; and yet they are
never seen in the village; nor do they at all frequent the cottages
that are scattered about in that wild district. The only instance I
ever remember where this species haunts any building is at the
town of Bishop's Waltham, in this county, where many sand-
martins nestle and breed in the scaffold-holes of the back-wall of
William of Wykeham's stables: but then this wall stands in a very
sequestered and retired enclosure, and faces upon a large and
beautiful lake. And indeed this species seems so to delight in large
waters, that no instance occurs of their abounding, but near vast
pools or rivers: and in particular it has been remarked that they
swarm in the banks of the Thames in some places below London-
bridge.
It is curious to observe with what different degrees of architectonic
skill Providence has endowed birds of the same genus, and so
nearly correspondent in their general mode of life! for while the
swallow and the house-martin discover the greatest address in
raising and securely fixing crusts or shells of loam as cunabula for
their young, the bank-martin terebrates a round and regular hole in
the sand or earth, which is serpentine, horizontal, and about two
feet deep.
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