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Of the 9 adults, 5 had been ringed at roosts and 4 at colonies as shown in Table 4. TABLE 4. SUMMARY OF CONTROLS ORIGINALLY RINGED AS ADULTS AT (a) ROOSTS, (b) COLONIES (a) Sussex 4 (b) Radnor 2 Norfolk 1 Hants. 1 Herts. 1 5 One of the two birds not specifically aged at ringing provided the most interesting control since it had been ringed at a roost on the west coast of France. The other bird had been ringed in Kent. The Gloucestershire control was also of note having been ringed in 1960. When caught on the Usk during 1965 it was just over 4 years and 1 months old, a considerable age for this species. It should be remembered that these recoveries and controls are influenced by the distribution of ringers and the heavy bias towards Sussex is due to the presence of an intensively worked roost in that county. SUMMARY During the summer of 1965 a 70-mile stretch of the River Usk was walked in order to determine the Sand Martin breeding popu- lation. The nature of the river and its suitability for supporting a breeding population of Sand Martins is discussed. A total of approximately 1,850 occupied holes was counted between Aber Camlais, near Sennybridge, and the sea. The density of holes in the well defined colonies and their orientation is stated. The recoveries and controls obtained during the associated ringing programme are summarised with regard to the age of the bird when ringed. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are most grateful to Richard G. Newell on whose initiation and guidance the ringing programme progressed during 1964 and for his helpful comments during the preparation of this paper. We are also indebted to the many people who assisted us in the field but especially to Colin R. Jeremiah, who gave freely of his time during all three seasons, and to J. C. Davies, M. Macleur and J. Parke. Our thanks also to P. N. Humphries and C. J. Meade for their comments on an earlier draft of this paper.