FLYGOOD AND FLEETWING 273 



strangely. All would be sitting in the gathering chirping 

 and preening their feathers when suddenly one would utter 

 a peculiar twitter and instantly every bird would leave 

 its perch and start rapidly southward; but after flying a 

 hundred or two yards one always heard the rallying chatter 

 and all returned to the gathering place again. 



It would be interesting indeed to know all that went on 

 in those days preceding the journey south. Some people 

 believe the parents were instructing their young in the 

 maneuver of starting together and keeping together in the 

 long flight. 



At that time they never went near the martin house 

 except to sleep. Undoubtedly there was more or less ver- 

 min there and these wise birds meant to get their bodies 

 entirely clean from troublesome pests before going to the 

 warm tropical regions where the vermin would cause an- 

 noyance all winter through. Half or three quarters of 

 an hour before sundown these birds would leave their 

 perch and begin circling round the old nest every few mo- 

 ments, twittering as they went, then circle back over the 

 orchard or meadow for more insects. Shortly after sun- 

 down these circles would grow smaller and finally some 

 bird would enter the house. The next time they came by 

 perhaps another would do the same. Then within a few 

 moments every bird would dart inside and things would 

 become quiet for the night. 



Early one morning this flock of birds was holding its 

 gathering in an old apple tree in our orchard perhaps a 

 hundred yards from the nest. Suddenly the parent birds 

 gave the signal which to my ears sounded exactly like the 

 signal they had been giving a score of times each day for 

 a week, and the whole flock started toward the south ; but 

 this time they did not return. They had not gone very 



