A DOUBLE MARTIN HOUSE 



CHAPTER XII 



The Purple Martin: Progne Subis 



IN THE AIR 



FOR these I need make no per- 

 sonal search, nor tax the kindness 

 of friends. The Purple Martins 

 come to us. Every year at migra- 

 tion time they sweep up from the 

 South and claim their preempted 

 location on the windmill, or in a small 

 bird-house east of the Cabin, on the 

 stump of a dead wild cherry. Some- 

 times our Wrens leave us. Some- 

 times our Song Sparrows cross 

 the line and build in our neigh- 

 bour's pear-tree. The Orioles may 

 locate with us or they may not. 

 The English Sparrows drive away 

 the Flycatchers, which nest so hgh 

 in the big elm we can not protect 

 them. But three standbys never 

 fail us: always we have Martins, 

 Bluebirds and Robins. 



Martin headquarters are on the 

 windmill, in a big box arranged for 

 eight families and placed on the 

 north side of the mill under the 

 shelter of a small platform, above 

 which swings the wheel. This 

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