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The Purple Martin is said to be observed throughout the whole 

 of North America, and from its familiar habits is equally well known. 

 In the towns and villages, scarcely a sign-post is erected without a 

 comfortable dwelling for this favorite bird. In the absence of such 

 accommodations, it resorts to the eaves of a house or barn — and ac- 

 cording to Dr. Richardson, in many Indian villages, excavated 

 gourds are hung up for the Purple Martin to breed in. 



The flight of the Martin is easy and graceful. It is frequently 

 seen it sailing in the air with so little apparent effort, that feather- 

 like it seems to be floating along; or when skimming swiftly over 

 the surface of the ground, as if by a sudden impulse, darts-upward, 

 until the eye fails to measure the distance. 



The Purple Martin arrives among us from the South usually in 

 the early part of April. It soon commences preparing its nest, 

 which is formed of hay, straw, dried leaves, and feathers. The 

 eggs, four in number, are pure white. In autumn it returns south- 

 ward, and it is said to migrate far within the tropics. 



HIRUNDO RUSTICA— LINN 



BARN SWALLOW. 



Barn Swallow, Hirundo Americana, W T ils. Amer. On. 



Hirundo Americana, American Barn Swallow, Sw. &. Rich. 



Hirundo rufa, Bonap Syn. 



Barn Swallow, Hirundo rufa, Nutt. Man. 



Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character— Tail deeply forked. Adult with the upper 

 parts steel blue, a band of similar color on the fore neck ; forehead, 

 throat, and lower parts chestnut ; wings and tail brownish-black, 

 glossed with green ; a white spot on all the feathers excepting the 

 middle pair ; tail deeply forked. Female with the colors similar. 

 Length seven inches, wing four and three quarters. _ . 



Naturalists having clearly established the fact relative to the mi- 

 gration of Swallows, the idea of their remaining during winter in 

 a torpid state has become obsolete. 



The Barn Swallow, like all other species, drinks and pursues its 

 insect prey on the wing — and those who are familiar with its habits 



