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protection from persecutions by man, cats and sparrows, 

 has been reduced one-half, on two occasions by disastrous 

 weather conditions. In 1905 nearly 100 pairs had collected 

 at my bird houses. Several pairs went elsewhere at nest- 

 building time, and cold, damp weather at frequent intervals 

 so interrupted and retarded the remaining birds in their 

 work of nest-building that their numbers continued to de- 

 crease until barely 40 broods were raised. 



Very much the same fate befell them in 1906, but there 

 were on July 8 twenty-three occupied nests in houses No. 3 

 and No. 4 All young which hatched at my colonies, and 

 at all others in and near this town, that year, thrived well, 

 and a good increase over the previous year was noticeable. 



In the latter half of March, 1907, this section exper- 

 ienced unusually fine warm spring weather which brought 

 many Martins to the various bird houses in other parts of 

 town. The first one arrived at my premises April 3, 

 and this one was killed by the unprecedented April freeze, 

 which continued unceasingly until about the 19th of the 

 month. During this period, all the Martins — at least a 

 hundred, which had arrived in this locality, perished from 

 cold and starvation. It was about the last of April before 

 the Martins again began to arrive. After May first they 

 had a fair season, and success with their broods, but the 

 annual production did not show an increase over the pre- 

 vious year. 



With the coming of spring these birds will again be 

 moving north to their nesting boxes, and with fair weather 

 and no mishaps, this year will see an increase in the nest- 

 ing pairs. 



Food. The Purple Martin is one of the most beneficial 

 of birds, living entirely upon winged insects; thousands of 

 these pests are captured daily, in the vicinity of a thriving 

 colony, for the menu of each brood. The further fact that 

 the young remain in the nest rooms about four weeks, to be 

 fed by their parents, increases this bird's value as an in- 

 sect destroyer. 



In cleaning my bird houses, after the broods have de- 



