PUKPLE MARTIX. 



dote; communicated to him by the late John Joseph Henry, 

 Es(|., Judge of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, of the 

 place put up by him for the reception of the Martins having 

 been forestalled by Blue-birds, The latter succeeded in 

 repelling the former, and kept possession of their abode, and 

 this for eight successive years; the Martins always attempting 

 to obtain a footing, but being as uniformly forced to give 

 up the attempt. 



The following specimens of the Purple Martin have been 

 met with in this country: Two were shot on different days 

 by Mr. John Calvert, of Paddington, the first week in Sep- 

 tember, 1842, at the reservoir, Kingsbury, Middlesex. One 

 was a young bird of the year, the outside tail feathers not 

 being grown to their full length, the other was an old male 

 in full plumage. 



In Ireland, one was shot near Kingstown, in the count}'- 

 of Dublin, and is now preserved in the Museum of the 

 Royal Dublin Society. 



The Purple Martin, as may be imagined, is migratory in 

 its habits, arriving at the scene of its parental duties in 

 May, being to be observed on the way thither at various 

 half-way houses in February, March, and April, and leaving 

 again about the 20th. of August. 'Unde datum sentit;' 

 whence it is gifted to know, the time when, in pursuance 

 of the not-to-be-resisted mandate of nature, it must set out 

 on its travels, and, in obedience to the like dictate, the time 

 when it must again return by the same route by which it 

 went forth on its long journey, is hidden in the unfathomable 

 mind of that Divine Being whose thoughts are past finding 

 out; 'His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts 

 than our thoughts.' How, too, does the Swallow know the 

 place to which it must wend its way; and how does it track 

 the trackless path to it? 



Insects are the food of the Purple Martin, and of these 

 bees constitute an ordinary portion, as also wasps, and even 

 beetles of large size. 



'Just as dawn approaches, the Martin begins its notes, 

 which last half a minute or more, and then subside until 

 the twilight is fairly broken. An animated and incessant 

 musical chattering now ensues, sufficient to arouse the most 

 sleepy person.' The usual note is described as resembling 

 the syllables, 'peuo, peuo, peuo,' frequently succeeded by others 

 more low and guttural. 



