74 The Wilson Bi'lletix— No. 108 



two warm spring-like days. Mucli cool weather, with 

 northeast winds and rain. Several new boxes have been 

 put up for the martins about the village and considerable 

 interest manifested in the birds. On wet and cold days the 

 birds are most abundant about the boxes and gourds. A 

 few seem to be permanently established at Warren's and 

 at Fraser's ; the latter a crude affair, double, with two holes 

 on each side, about twelve feet up on a pole set within 

 thirty feet of railroad track and opposite our busiest store 

 and the postoffice. However, as we have but a single train 

 daily the traffic will count for little to alarm the birds. On 

 clear warm days these four or five pairs are the only mar- 

 tins to be seen about. 



During one or two fine sunny days all birds were 

 away during the entire day. 



It is the general opinion among tlie hunters here that 

 numbers of these birds remain out and nest in holes in the 

 woods. I have never been convinced of this. All the boxes 

 here, seven in number, I believe, have been visited many 

 times b}' the birds, especially as night comes on and they 

 seek shelter. On March 20 over sixty birds were congre- 

 gated about the postoffice; on wires and bird boxes for the 

 most part; a few on the roof of one house. Eighteen or 

 twenty came to my pole and one entered a gourd. 



March 21 was cloudy with rain most of the day and a 

 large number of the martins remained about the village, 

 for the most part huddled close together on the various 

 boxes or on wires. About sixty birds were counted. 



March 22. The sun shone in the afternoon and many 

 of the birds were actively foraging about the open lots. 



April 8-9. Cold, with damp north winds. Thirty or 

 more birds about the various boxes all day. On warm, 

 sunny days not infrequently but two or three ])airs of birds 

 are to be seen about the village for the entire day. Vis- 

 itors still come to my pole, but none permanently located 

 there, and building operations were commenced at other 

 boxes. 



