Page 409

PURPLE MARTIN.
my carpenter was employed to form a large box with a number
of apartments for the Martin. The box was put up in the au-
tumn. Near and around the house were a number of well grown
apple trees and much shrubbery, a very fit haunt for the feath-
ered race. About the middle of February the Blue-birds came;
in a short time they were very familiar, and toolk possession of
the box: these consisted of two or three pairs. By the fifteenth
of May the Blue-birds had eggs, if not young. Now the Mar-
tins arrived in numbers, visited the box, and a severe conflict
ensued. The Blue-birds seemingly animated by their right of
possession, or for the protection of their young, were victorious.
The Martins regularly arrived about the middle of May for the
eight following years, examined the apartments of the box in
the absence of the Blue-birds, but were uniformly compelled to
fly upon the return of the latter.
  "The trouble caused you by reading this note you will be
pleased to charge to the Martin. A box replete with that beau-
tiful traveller, is not very distant from my bed head. Their
notes seem discordant because of their numbers; yet to me they
are pleasing. The industrious farmer and mechanic would do
well to have a box fixed near the apartments of their drowsy
labourers. Just as the dawn approaches, the Martin begins its
notes, which last half a minute or more; and then subside until
the twilight is fairly broken. An animated and incessant musi-
cal chattering now ensues, sufficient to arouse the most sleepy
person. Perhaps chanticleer is not their superior in this benefi-
cial qualification; and he is far beneath the Martin in his pow-
ers of annoying birds of prey."
  I shall add a few particulars to this faithful and interesting
sketch by my deceased friend. About the middle or twentieth
of April the Martins first begin to prepare their nest. The last
of these which I examined was formed of dry leaves of the
weeping willow, slender straws, hay and feathers, in considerable
quantity. The eggs were four, very small for the size of the
bird, and pure white without any spots. The first brood appears
in May, the second late in July. During the period in which
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