FLYGOOD AND FLEETWING 267 



ment without a struggle. Evidently it was settled between 

 them that Flygood should remain and hold possession of 

 the disputed home while Fleetwing went for help. Flygood 

 flew back to the house, chased the bluebirds out and then, 

 sitting with his head and shoulders in the entrance, gave 

 battle to all comers. Fleetwing rose in quick circles and 

 started to Lemley's, more than a quarter of a mile away, 

 and inside of ten minutes was back accompanied by a 

 dozen or more martins that she had brought to help. 



It took only an hour or two of real battle between the 

 martins and the bluebirds before the latter gave up the 

 struggle, and the martins slept in the house that night. As 

 soon as the matter was settled the visiting martins left 

 and, so far as I know, never again paid a visit to their 

 friends. 



This impressed me very much. Evidently these birds 

 not only knew that others of their kind lived at Lemley's, 

 but they were able to tell them their troubles in a way to 

 convince their neighbors that the proper thing was to come 

 over and help. 



It was late by the time these birds took possession of 

 this house. Their neighbors had already begun to lay 

 eggs. I presume that explains the fact that they carried 

 only a small amount of straw and made the poorest excuse 

 for a nest I have ever known martins to build. There was 

 enough straw to keep the eggs from rolling about, but that 

 was all. 



These martins were friendly fellows and did not take 

 offense when their human friends peeped into their home. 

 Their house was on a pole only twelve or fourteen feet 

 high and it was easy to place a ladder against the pole and 

 see what was going on inside. The second day after these 



