Taverner — On A Pl'Rple Martin Roost. 91 



heard coming from the deserted fohage. As they rose and 

 joined those few that were still in the air, they fairly darkened 

 the sky. Their numbers could not be estimated. There may 

 have been one thousand, there may have been twent}-. They 

 formed a solid ring, I should judge, two hundred feet in di- 

 ameter, a short way above the topmost branches, and whirled 

 round and round in a dizzy circle. To look at them made the 

 eyes ache and the head reel. 



Again and again they attempted to re-settle in the branches 

 of the trees, onl}- to burst up again as the protesting noise of the 

 Jays was heard. They broke away from the attractive spot 

 now and again, and made a wude detour of the park, only to 

 return and resume their mazy, wheeling flight. By and by the 

 Jays were heard in another quarter, and by degrees the Alartins 

 all settled in the desired trees. The three little trees spoken of 

 before seemed to be the coveted positions, but were scon filled 

 to overflowing. A bunch would dash into the covering, and, 

 failing to find foot-room among the densely packed branches, 

 would, in their efforts, knock dozens cfif their perches, and a 

 mass of fluttering, scolding birds would burst out again. Some 

 would regain their lost perches, and the remaining unsuccess- 

 ful ones would be forced to seek places in the trees adjoining. 

 In no case did any birds alight in these neighboring trees of 

 second choice until the fytility of finding places in the desired 

 three corner ones was proved by actual experience. 



Slowlv darkness settled down and slowly all were accommo- 

 dated in the lofty cover and the noise of the combined twitter- 

 ings grew less and less insistant until quietness covered all, ex- 

 cept when a belated delegation from some probably distant 

 part of the city dashed into the crowded branches and raised 

 a momentary uproar once more. These outbreaks grew less 

 and less frequent until, by the tini'" the noises of the street and 

 San Soucci were at their height, the Martins were silent. 



• Then, approaching the little patch of bush, we looked up 

 through the dark branches against the sky, illuminated by the 

 thousands of electric lights of the city. Every branchlet and 

 twig had its burden of little flufify feather balls, each with its 



