150 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



their holes, clustering together for -warmth, and have been fre- 

 quently found at such times in ahiiost a lifeless state with the 

 cold, which circumstance has conti'ibuted to the belief that 

 they lie torpid all winter in these recesses." 



(d). The Bank Swallows are usuall}'^ more silent than the 

 other species, though one might not gather this impression 

 from a flock ; and their notes are less musical. 



V. PROGNE 



(A) PURPUREA.'*'' Purple Martin. ^'•Black Martin." Martin. 

 '•'■Cape Cod Stvallow." 



(The Martins, though formerly abundant, are now very gen- 

 erally rare in New England, being confined to a few tracts of 

 country and to localities.) 



(o). 7-8 inches long. "Lustrous blue-black; no purple 

 anywhere. The 9 and young are much duller above, and more 

 or less white below, streaked with gray." (Coues.) 



(5). The nest and eggs are essentially like those of the 

 White-bellied Swallow (III) in every respect, except that the 

 latter are larger than the eggs of that bird, averaging •95X"70 

 of an inch. 



(c). The Purple INIartins reach Eastern Massachusetts on 

 the first of May, or earlier, and leave it about the first of Sep- 

 tember. They are very locally distributed, and in many places 

 are at present never seen. They are " very abundant upon 

 Cape Cod," and are perhaps as common in Boston and other 

 cities as in the country. They are allied in many ways to the 

 "White-bellied Swallows — particularly so in their habits. The 

 latter, however, become more common every year ; but the 

 former have deserted many pltices, where they were once well 

 known, though they are probably multiplj'ing in their present 

 homes. 



"The Martin" says Wilson "difiers from all the rest of our 

 Swallows in the particular prey which he selects. Wasps, 



<° Various scientific names have been bestowed upon this bird, but the present 

 seems to me the most satisfactory. 



