GREY BREASTED MARTINS 829 



of the many martins that gather about hhn. Thus the hfe 

 of many a seed-eating finch and caterpillar-destroying wren 

 has been preserved. 



The windows of Kalacoon house always remained open 

 and soon after our arrival several martins took advantage of 

 this to roost on the rafters over our heads, entering through 

 a window close beneath the peak of the roof. On the rare 

 occasions when it had to be closed on account of the rain 

 which poured through in gusts, the birds gathered outside 

 in numbers, some on the sill and others on the eaves above, 

 and tried to express their troubles in a loud bubbling and 

 chatter. Though there were other open windows nearby, 

 they never used them, but always, if their own private en- 

 trance were closed, sought other roosting places for the night. 

 They roosted in pairs and never allowed a third to encroach 

 upon what they considered their own territory. 



Later on, near the end of jNIarch — the middle of the 

 short dry season — mating instincts became uppermost and 

 the martins commenced to consider sites for their nests. Un- 

 fortunately for us, one pair decided that their roosting place 

 on the rafters was an ideal situation; so for the next few 

 weeks there was a continual shower of sticks and straws from 

 above. Fortunately they gave it up after a month of vain 

 attempt and sought a new spot. 



A small box with four compartments had been erected 

 a short time before, on a pole, with the hope that some of 

 the birds would take advantage of it. Immediately a pair 

 of palm tanagers took possession. This was too nuich for 

 our pair of martins, which at once — incited by jealousy and 

 need for a new home — drove away the tanagers and appro- 

 priated the partially completed nest as their own. The occu- 

 pation was not accomplished, however, without many a 

 scuffle with the original tenants and other pairs of martins 

 who had nesting ideas of their own. The building did not 

 commence immediately after possession had been obtained, 

 but, either to make sure that the new house was safe — it 



