220 PURPLE MARTIN. 



Swift of Europe, he sails much with little action of the wings. He 

 passes through the most crowded parts of our streets, eluding the pas- 

 sengers with a quickness of thought ; or plays among the clouds, gliding 

 about at a vast height, like an aerial being. His usual note peuo peuo 

 peuo, is loud and musical ; but is frequently succeeded by others more 

 low and guttural. Soon after the twentieth of August he leaves Penn- 

 sylvania for the south. 



This bird has been described three or four different times by European 

 writers, as so many different species. The Canadian Swallow of Turton, 

 and the Great American Martin of Edwards, being evidently the female 

 of the present species. The Violet Swallow of the former author, said 

 to inhabit Louisiana, differs in no respect from the present. Deceived 

 by the appearance of the flight of this bird, and its similarity to that 

 of the Swift of Europe, strangers from that country have also asserted 

 that the Swift is common to North America and the United States. No 

 such bird, however, inhabits any part of this continent that I have as 

 yet visited. 



The Purple Martin is eight inches in length, and sixteen inches in 

 extent ; except the lores, which are black, and wings and tail, which 

 are of a brownish black, he is of a rich and deep purplish blue, with 

 strong violet reflections ; the bill is strong, the gap very large ; the 

 legs also short, stout, and of a dark dirty purple ; the tail consists of 

 twelve feathers, is considerably forked and edged with purple blue, the 

 eye full and dark. 



The female (fig. 2) measures nearly as large as the male ; the upper 

 parts are blackish brown, with blue and violet reflections thinly scat- 

 tered ; chin and breast grayish brown ; sides under the wings darker ; 

 belly and vent whitish, not pure, with stains of dusky and yellow 

 ochre ; wings and tail blackish brown 



