TREE-MARTIN 31 



be added, a greater degree of zeal and fury than can 

 animate its adversary. The contest is thus nearly an 

 equal one ; and the Oven-bird, particularly when 

 its young are already hatched, is often able to main- 

 tain its own. But the Martins never suffer defeat ; 

 for, when unable to take the citadel by storm, they 

 fall back on their dribbling system of warfare, 

 which they keep up till the young birds leave the 

 nest, when they take possession before it has grown 

 cold. 



The Martin makes its own nest chiefly of large 

 feathers, and lays four eggs, long, pointed, and pure 

 white. 



It will be remarked that in all its habits above- 

 mentioned this bird differs widely from the two 

 preceding species. It also differs greatly from them 

 in its manner of flight. The Purple Martins move 

 with surprising grace and celerity, the wings extended 

 to their utmost ; they also love to sail in circles high 

 up in the air, or about the summits of tall trees, and 

 particularly during a high wind. At such times 

 several individuals are usually seen together, and 

 all seem striving to outvie each other in the beauty 

 of their evolutions. 



The Tree-Martin is never seen to soar about in 

 circles ; and though when hawking after flies and 

 moths it sweeps the surface of the grass with amazing 

 swiftness, at other times it has a flight strangely slow 

 and of a fashion peculiar to itself : the long wings 

 are depressed as much as those of a Wild Duck when 

 dropping on to the water, and are constantly agitated 



