34 METHODS OF ATTRACTING BIRDS 



localities where they formerly nested. They have 

 the habit of returning to the same houses, year 

 after year, both old and young, till their num- 

 bers compel them to seek quarters elsewhere. 

 Thus there is the best opportunity for establish- 

 ing a new colony in the vicinity of other colonies, 

 the overflow of which is compelled to seek else- 

 where for a nesting-site. 



Attempts to reestablish Martins, — Various 

 attempts have been made to establish new colonies 

 at a long distance from breeding colonies. The 

 general plan pursued is to raise young birds in the 

 locality where it is desired to establish a colony, 

 with the hope that in the following spring these 

 birds will return to their new home and breed 

 there. 



In the spring of 1907 eggs were sent by J. W. 

 Jacobs of Pennsylvania to W. C. Horton, Brat- 

 tleboro, Vermont, where they were placed in the 

 nest of a tree swallow which had taken possession 

 of a deserted martin's house. The eggs hatched 

 and the young were fed by the parent swallows 

 for two weeks, at which time all the young were 

 killed by some unknown cause. The following 

 year (1908) two pairs of martins which had 

 begun to nest were sent to the same locality, 

 where they were placed in the house which had 



