89 



dently gorged himself with birds and was hard to dislodge. Two dead birds were found 

 in the room from which I pulled him, one apparently an old one. Dead birds were 

 also found in two other rooms and only four young birds remained alive. Apparently 

 only two of the occupied rooms had escaped the snake, which I am inclined to think 

 had ascended the pole during the previous night, by moonlight. This snake was larger 

 than the first and was probably the female of the pair. The following day one of the 

 young Martins was found dead near the base of the pole and the other three on the 

 ground unable to fly more than a few feet. They were kept under observation all that 

 day, and a day later were found well up in a tree near by, where the old birds continued 

 to feed them for a period of two or three days. I was not aware that these birds leave 

 the nest so long before being able to care for themselves, but, in my case, the old birds 

 may have hurried them out in fear of another visit from a snake. 



A number of the Martins returned several times to the house seemingly examin- 

 ing the rooms to see if any young birds were left inside and later were observed flying 

 about the grounds, but at this date all have disappeared. But for the tragedy con- 

 nected therewith I certainly would have derived a great deal of pleasure from my Purple 

 Martin colony. I shall try it again next spring with the hope of better success and 

 shall certainly try to provide effective measures to keep out snakes. A declaration of 

 war against snakes in general has been declared at "The Sycamores", and none, great 

 or small, will hereafter be spared. 



I shall probably order a second house from you, with suitable pole, for erection on 

 another part of my grounds early in the spring. I hope in this way to obtain two 

 colonies for next season. 



By investigation I have learned that there are a number of Purple Martin colonies 

 in this county (Talbot), one being at "Wye House," the home of Mr. Howard Lloyd, 

 another at the home of J. B. Dixon, and a third in the town of Easton. Yesterday I 

 noted about twenty Martins on the telephone wires near one of these colonies and I 

 presume that the birds are getting ready for an early departure. 



I enclose two photographs of my Martin house, neither of which entirely pleases 

 me. I have taken a third which is not yet developed. I am hoping it will be a better 

 view than either of those enclosed. I will send you a finished copy of this last view in 

 a few days. 



Next summer I hope to be able to make a personal visit to all of the Martin colonies 

 within a reasonable distance of my home and will endeavor to send you photographs 

 of all I can obtain good views of. 



With best wishes and with apologies for my delay in replying to your favor, I am 



Very truly yours, 



W. Scott Way. 



When a wood pole is used for mounting a bird-house, the same 

 should be stripped of its bark, leaving it smooth and hard. This 

 operation will render it snake-proof, for the black snake does not 

 ascend a tree by twisting its body around the same in a truly spiral 

 manner, but progresses up the perpendicular side in a series of kinks, 

 clinging to the coarse bark, and moving around the tree in its ascent. 



