Their Eggs and Nests. 133 



PURPLE MARTIN— (Pr^^/^ purpurea ; formerly, 

 Hirundo purpurea). 



^i^ 'ican Purple Martin. — Only a very casual 

 visitor 



ORDER.— PICARI^. 

 FAMILY I— CYPSELID^. 



SWIFT— ((5//j-^///j' apus). 



Deviling, Black Martin, Screech, Screech Martin, 

 Shriek Owl, Screamer, Squeaker, Skeer- or Skir-devil, 

 Cran. — I should think no one who has once seen this 

 bird on the wing, and noticed its rapid, peculiar, power- 

 ful, long- winged, whirling flight, or heard its remark- 

 able scream, would ever be likely to mistake when he 

 saw it again. It is most frequently seen at no great dis- 

 tance from some old tower of castle or church, or such 

 like building, although at times it seems to range far 

 in search of food. It makes its nest of pieces of soft 

 straw, bents or grass or hay and feathers, and usually 

 in holes in the buildings aforesaid, or between the tiles 

 and under-roof of houses ; and the nest once made is 

 supposed to be used for many years in succession by 

 the same pair of birds. It sometimes seems as if it 

 had been cemented together in some way. The Swift 

 often lays only two eggs, but has been known to pro- 

 duce three, and even four. They are quite white, 

 and rather large for the size of the bird. 



