THE HOUSE MAKTIN. 



325 



two being precisely similar in both respects. Generally the edifice is 

 cup-shaped, with the rim closely pressed against the eaves of some 

 friendly house, and having a small semicircular aperture cut out of the 

 edge in order to permit the ingress and egress of the birds. Sometimes, 

 however, the nest is supported on a kind of solid pedestal, composed of 

 mud, and often containing nearly as much material as would have 

 made an ordinary nest. 

 These pedestals are gener- 

 ally constructed in spots 

 where the Martin finds that 

 her nest does not receive 

 adequate support from the 

 wall. 



There are generally sev- 

 eral broods in the course 

 of the year, two being the 

 usual number, but three, or 

 even four, being sometimes 

 noticed. In such cases, how- 

 ever, the young birds seldom 

 reach maturity, for they are 

 hatched at such a late period 

 of the year that the parents 

 are unable to withstand the 

 instinct which leads them to 

 migrate, and in obeying the 

 promptings of this principle 



leave their unfortunate fam- ^ , , -r. 



•1 , -1 • 11 £■ The Purple Martin, Male and Female. 



ily to perish miserably oi ' 



hunger. The parents do not seem to grieve over their dead children, 

 and when they return to the nest in the succeeding season, they uncon- 

 cernedly pull the dry and shrivelled bodies out of the nest, and rear- 

 range it in readiness for the next brood. 



The general coloring of this bird is composed of rich blue-black and 

 white, arranged in bold masses, so as to present a fine contrast of two 

 very opposite tints. The head and upper portions of the body are of a 

 very deep glossy blue, with the exception of the quill feathers of the 

 wings and tail, which are sooty black, and the upper tail-coverts, which 

 are snowy white. The chin, breast, and abdomen are of the same pure 

 white as the upper tail-coverts, except in the young birds, which are 

 grayish white beneath. The female bird is rather gray on the under 

 portions of the body. A number of tiny white feathers are spread over 



the legs and toes, and the beak is black and the eyes brown, 

 of the Martin is rather more than five inches. 



The 



total 



length 



28 



