ITIU'LK MAUTIN. .-jOf) 



OoLOii. Adult male. Uniform atiely-Huc tlm nifliout, vitli wings and tail brcwnish. There is a 

 narrow white patch on the sides l)eneath tlic wings. Tibiae are i;rayish. 



Adult female, k^iniilar to the male above but gr:iyish beneath, whicli becomes nearly white on the 

 abdomen and under tail coverts. 



Young male. Like the adult female, exceiiting that the forehead is grayish, and there are a few scatter- 

 itig feathers of steely-blue beneath. Young female, witli the t'i|i of the head grayish and with considerable 

 white beneath. 



()]]SEBV.\TK)2sS. 



This species is readily distinguished from all other North American swallows by its large size and 

 uniform colors. Found breeding throughout the United States, excspting perhaps, southern Florida 

 north into Canada. Winters in the West Indies and South Amei'iea. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of six specimens. Length, 8.27 ; stretch, 1(5. 4o : wing. Tj.rO : tail, •i 00 : bill, 

 ..^r ; tarsus, .58. Longest specimen, 8. 3.j ; greatest extent of wings. 16. 7;j ; longest wing, (!.(K): tail. o.lO. 

 bill, .50; tarsus, .no. Shortest specimen, 8.25; smallest extent of wings, ItJ.-iO; shortest wing, 5.51); tail, 

 2.75 ; bill, .45 : tarsus, .45. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in holes of trees or in martin-boxes ; composed of dried grasses and leaves, lined with 

 feathers ; the structure varying in size with the apiirtment in which it is placed. 



Eggs, from four to six in number, oval in form, wdiite in color. Dimensions, from .80 by .65 to .70 by 

 .60. An abnormal egg of this species, wdiich I have in my collection, that was taken by ]\Ir. Ingersoll at 

 Oberlin, Ohio, is very large in size, measuring l.(X) by .80, and is covered by minute rounded protuberances, 

 similar to those occasionally seen on hens' eggs, but it is of the usual form. 



HABITS. 



In May, 1872, one of my collectors found Purple Martins nesting in stubs of trees on 

 the western bank of Indian River, near Fort Capron. This style of buildin;..;- ap])ears to be 

 usual witli these birds while in the wilderniess, but in the more settled portions of the 

 South, as well as in tlu- North, they prefer boxes erected for their benefit. Indeed thev 

 invariably tlock to places where such accomodations are i)rovided for them and avoid all 

 others. The offspring of those which have inhabited a certain locality will aj.'^o retm-n 

 and take up their abode there, .so that the number of ap artment.s in one jjox will be con- 

 stantly occupied. If other domiciles are erected quite near the same spot they will be 

 inhabited, but it is extremely difficult to induce tliese birds to enter a new hmiseifit 

 ;stand a mile or more from those occupied by the colony, therefore they are extremely 

 local in their distribution. I know of localities where Martins have bred for ^ears, 

 wliile they could never be induced to remain in another section whicli was but a mile 

 distant, although I erected houses in .'^uitalile situations. They fre((uently a])]i('ared there 

 in spring, but after examining the place and Hying al)ont it for a day or two, invariably 

 returned to the old localit\-. Although fond of any particular spot they may be easilv 

 ■driven from it. If a few birds are shot in earl\- spring, upon their arrival, the survivors 

 will disappear, and cannot be persuaded to reinhabit the house from which they have 

 been expelled, even after tlie laj)se of many years. Accidents occurring, whicli are 

 detrimental to them although not caused thi'ough the agency of man, appear to produce 



