TREE-MARTIN 27 



TREE-MARTIN 



Progne tapera 



Upper parts dull brown ; tail-feathers blackish brown ; throat ashy 

 white ; fore neck and chest ashy brown ; abdomen white ; length 

 7 inches. Sexes alike. 



THE Tree-Martin is more slender and has a greater 

 extent of wing than the Purple Martins ; and instead 

 of the beautiful dark purple (their prevailing colour) 

 its entire upper plumage is dusky brown, the under 

 surface white* But if these differences of structure 

 and hue merely serve to show that it is not a 

 very near relative of the other species, those ex- 

 hibited in its habits remove it very far indeed from 

 them. 



The Tree-Martin is a garrulous bird, and no 

 sooner arrives early in September, than we are 

 apprised of the circumstance by the notes which 

 the male and female incessantly sing in concert, 

 fluttering and waving their wings the while, and 

 seeming quite beside themselves with joy at their 

 safe arrival ; for invariably they arrive already mated, 

 and they probably pair for life. Their language is 

 more varied, the intonation bolder and freer than 

 that of our other Swallows. The length of the notes 

 can be varied at pleasure; some are almost harsh, 

 others silvery or liquid, as of trickling drops of 

 water : all have a glad sound ; and many have that 

 peculiar character of some bird-notes of shaping 



