128 



Bird- Lore 



easily swallowed and quickly digested. Later, when the young are well grown, 

 it seems that dragon-flies are much sought, and these are crammed down the 

 throats of the voracious youngsters — wings, legs, and all, without trimming, 

 pruning, or macerating of any kind. Catch on the wing and feed as caught — 

 this seems to be the Martins' way of providing for their young. 



While highly specialized along certain lines, as in their manner of seining the 

 air for gnats and other minute flyers, the Martins are not all-round experts by 

 any means. They are very solicitous for the safety of their young, but they are 

 not apt at meeting some unusual conditions, and the fledgling that falls to the 



SOME TOWN MARTIN HOMES 

 Photographed by Edward S. Daniels 



ground is usually lost. And that first plunge, that trying of wings without even 

 the experience that comes of instinct, with even chance of reaching a landing or 

 dashing against a wall — this is the supreme test in which a Martin lives or dies. 

 They are real artists in some respects, but are utterly lacking in the skill 

 that enables some of the ground-birds to pound a hard beetle into a luscious 

 morsel. They know nothing of the engineering tactics shown by the House 

 Wren when she takes a stifif 6-inch twig through a hole the size of a quarter. 

 The straw that olTers slight resistance is allowed to fall to the ground, and they 

 seem to waste a good deal of time in building very ordinary nests. The young 

 birds usually come out in July, and, if the first flight is successful, soon learn {o 



