PEKCHIKG BIRDS. 211 



windows, and under the eaves of houses ; forming 

 its nest of mud or clay, with a small hole on one 

 side for entrance, and when finished it is frequently 

 occupied by both birds at the same time. The 

 habits of the martin closely resemble those of the 

 swallow, and they, as well as the swift, return to 

 the places, and even to the nests, which they 

 inhabited during previous seasons. There appears 

 ample proof of this, as experiments have been 

 made by marking the birds, which have again and 

 again been found to return to their old haunts. 



HOUSE MARTINS are distinguished from their con- 

 geners by having their legs covered with soft, 

 downy feathers, down to their toes. They are no 

 songsters, but twitter, in a pretty, inward, soft 

 manner, in their nests. 



A touching instance of parental affection in a pair 

 of martins, is given in " The Zoologist, for 1851." 

 At the time of the autumnal migration, these 

 birds were, unfortunately, engaged in rearing a 

 young brood. They suffered the season to pass 

 away, and remained behind. It was observed 

 that towards the end of October, they became 

 visibly weaker they were seen less frequently, 

 by degrees, and at length they wholly disap- 

 peared. They were forgotten, and their fate 

 unknown, until, in the following spring, a nest 

 was removed from the eaves, containing the skele- 



