2 Trans. Acad. Sci. of >S(. Louis 



two sets, G; no eggs, 4; sets laid, 45; sets batclied, 33; 

 eggs liatHied, lL'8; young brought up to be able to leave 

 tbe box, 110. I-'ifty Ijoxcs had been crec^tod. Seven were 

 not occupied. 



Tbe verv earlv and rcallv untiniclv return of tiie old 

 Martin in spring can only be cxph'iined by a strong desire 

 to take possession of a suital)le nesting site before others 

 arrive. He knows that without a desirable home his 

 chances for getting a spouse are slim. He knows tiuit on 

 her frail heart his glossy coat makes no imi)ression, if it 

 is not backed by a comfortable home. His melodious and 

 rapturous carols will attract her, but before she makes 

 up her mind to stay siie satisfies herself that the house 

 which he offers suits her ideas of a home and nursery. 



That the same individuals return to the same i)lace has 

 seldom been doubled, but a good ))r()of of it may not be 

 out of place. A few years ago, when Progne ajtpeared 

 on the scene a little earlier than I expected and before I 

 had put up the boxes which were taken down every win- 

 ter, I had the satisfaction of seeing an old Martin hover- 

 ing in the air at exactly the same spot and at the very 

 same height above the ground where a box used to stand. 

 This shows that a bird's memory is niucK ]>etter than it 

 is generally known. 



In ])Ossession of a box of his choice the old Martin 

 sticks to it and awaits the arrival of the females. Some- 

 times he has to wait for weeks, but whenever tbe weather 

 is pro])itious his eyes scan the lirmament, and as soon as 

 he discovers the coveted object his voice is raised in 

 ecstacy. A female thus attracted soon alights and the 

 whole colony is in the greatest excitement, every male 

 doing his best to ijivite the sweet newcomer into his 

 bouse. After a little rest and meditation she settles 

 daintily at the side of one of the noisy wooers, whose 

 entreaties become now still more boisterous. He per- 

 suades her into liis house, but she only looks attentively 



