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On May 5, 1908, I shipped one of our No. 1 style, Martin 

 houses to R. B. Mellon, Pittsburg, Pa. Notwithstanding the 

 lateness of the season, on the 26th of the month, a pair of 

 Martins came and remained all day at the house inspecting 

 the various rooms. They then went away, and two days 

 later, presumably the same birds returned, bringing with 

 them two other pairs and one odd bird. The three pairs 

 built nests, and one of them brought out two and one of the 

 others one, making three young birds in all. 



These were all the Martins Mr. Mellon knew of in his 

 vicinity. If these birds live over their southern sojourn, Mr. 

 Mellon will see a return of them in the spring. Thus will 

 be revived a valuable insectivorous species of bird verging 

 on extinction in his section of Allegheny county, Penn'a. 

 Other Pittsburg residents have become interested and condi- 

 tions bid fair for an increase of these fine birds within the 

 city limits. 



Right here I want to impress persons, desiring to start 

 a Martin colony, with the fact that the method covered in 

 this topic is the proper way to begin. 



Be full of patience and wait for the birds. Immature 

 birds, or young reared the previous year, are almost invaria- 

 bly the ones first to occupy a new box. These do not reach 

 the latitude of Pennsylvania before the latter part of April, 

 and are usually two weeks later in selecting a nesting place. 

 As already stated they generally return to the house where 

 they were reared, and if this be crowded they are fought 

 out by the older birds, compelling them to hunt elsewhere 

 fOr summer homes. 



Your bird-house may remain unoccupeid two or three 

 years, but I feel safe in saying, that eventually, you will be 

 rewarded by having the birds come. 



In the belief of the writer the Purple Martin is to-day at 

 the threshhold of a stimulating and prosperous advance, 

 which, during the next few years, will spread its progeny 

 over territory where it has not been seen for years. A large 

 amount of correspondence, during past years, shows a wide- 

 spread desire and longing to re-establish the Martin in com- 



