DON FELIX D'AZARA. 69 



that many Martins sallied forth at break of day. 

 He examined the aperture, and having noticed that 

 a current of air issued from it, he concluded there 

 must be a second opening, which he discovered near 

 the ground. I so placed myself that I could see 

 these birds enter their domicile. They arrived at 

 sunset, in small troops (I counted sixty-two), but 

 so rapidly they could scarcely be distinguished. I 

 heard their wings striking against the margin 

 of the entrance, which was so small that they 

 could not enter with extended wing, although the 

 interior was large enough for two to fly abreast. 

 During the night, I closed both openings, and heard 

 the birds flying in the interior. Next morning the 

 tree was cut down, and forty Martins were taken ; 

 the rest escaped. I examined the interior, and 

 found it was fit only for creepers. I put some of 

 them into a cage, and allowed the others to fly 

 about the house. I perceived that they could not 

 stand, and that their crooked nails, very strong and 

 sharp, afforded them every facility for climbing." 

 The minute noting of the characters then follows. 

 This must suffice for his great work on Ornitho- 

 logy. 



And now we should have been happy to have 

 dwelt in the same way on our author s other labours 

 in Natural History, respecting Reptiles, Fishes, and 

 Insects ; and also on his Botanical pursuits, relating 

 both to wild and cultivated plants. These are seve- 

 rally contained in distinct chapters of the French 

 work, and abundantly exhibit both his energy and 



