Another Purple Martin Roost in the City of Washington 



99 



among the trees. The lirst took wing from the roost at 4.55 a.m.; live minutes 

 later a flock of about 1,000 dashed out suddenly in a horizontal direction through 

 the trees, then circled about in the air above the roost for a few minutes, when 

 they disappeared. At 5.02 a.m. about 3,000 or 4,000 left in the same manner, 

 not rising above the tree-tops, but sweeping through the branches as though 

 aiming to escape observation. The birds continued to leave in greater or less 

 numbers until 5.15 a.m., when the last individual departed. 



The number of Purple Martins that occupied this roost was considerably- 

 greater than in 191 7. The birds first appeared in igi8 in comparatively 

 small numbers, but rapidly increased during the latter part of July and early 

 August until they reached the maximum of 35,000 on August 9; after which, 

 with more or less fluctuation, they gradually diminished in numbers until 

 August 20 when about 12,000 were present; and subsequently the number still 

 more suddenly dropped to 150 on August 24, which was the last day of their 

 occupation of the roost at the Red Cross Building. On that evening some 500 

 to 600 were seen passing overhead, coming from the west and going in the 

 direction of the Capitol grounds. 



Whether or not the birds were disturbed by the many people that visited 

 the vicinity of the Red Cross Building to watch them, it is difficult to say, 

 but certain it is that the Martins left this location after August 24 and took 

 up their nightly abode in some elm trees over the street-car track near the 

 corner of B Street and Delaware Avenue, S. W., on the edge of the Capitol 

 grounds. About a thousand birds had, however, about the middle of August 

 roosted, but only for a night or two, in some sycamore trees at the Pan-American 

 Huilding, not far from the main gathering. 



At the Capitol grounds not more than 800 birds assembled: these usually 

 came in a single flock, and without previous evolutions swept downward from 

 a considerable height into the trees. This roosting place was very similar in 

 character to the one of 1917 in the eastern part of the Mall. In this secon- 

 dary roost the birds remained until the night of September 19, on which 

 occasion their numbers had decreased to about 100. On Sej^lember 20, a cold 

 rainy day, the birds disappeared, and have been seen no more. This, how- 

 ever, is a new record for the autumn stay of the Purple Martin about 

 Washington, the previous latest date being September 14, 1889. 



