No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 253 



Salisburi/. — I am told that a pair nested in Salisbury last yeax', 

 but the sparrows succeeded in driving them away this year; they did 

 not return. — Mrs. Francks L. Pettingill, July 21, 1909. 



Saiigus. — Martins have been seen several times since May in this 

 village. During a hard storm late in May three took possession of 

 a bird house in our yard. They seemed to be storm beaten, and one 

 fell from the house and died. The others evidently left. — Louisa 

 W. Caswell, Cliftondale, July 3, 1909. 



Wenham. — Last year I saw only one pair; tliis year in a search 

 over town I found only one pair nesting-. — S. E. Knowlton, June 

 29, 1909. 



Hampden County. 

 Springfield. — For more than forty years these birds have come 

 to my home; last year only two pairs came, and they did not stay. 

 I concluded Ihey did not come this year because the house was so 

 tilled with grass by the English sparrows. — W. A. Cone^ June 26, 

 1909. 



Middlesex County. 



Concord. — There are three houses now well filled with martins. — 

 R. H. Howe, Jr., June, 1909. 



Similar repoiis were received later from Messrs. Samuel Hoar 

 and A. B. C. Dakin. 



Dunstable. — The martins took a box on the elm quite near our 

 house in Dunstable; some red scjuirrels came and the martins dis- 

 appeared. The squirrels were seen coming- out of the box. — Mrs. 

 Morris Wilde, Tyngsborough. 



Newton. — A pair came to my place last spring-, which I saw, and 

 no mistake. Later in the season, I should say in August, a boy from 

 Newton Highlands, about one mile from my place, told me that a 

 pair of martins had nested and raised young in a bird box at his 

 home. I questioned him considerably about them and found that he 

 knew what he was talking about, so I have not the least doubt that 

 his statement is correct, and the fact that the birds were looking for 

 nest boxes at my place would show that they would be likely to 

 locate somewhere near. — - Joseph Mason, Dec. 23, 1909. 



Townsend. — A small colony of martins is at Townsend Harbor. — 

 A. C. Hill, Belmont, June 2G, 1909. 



I saw a man from Townsend Harbor yesterday; he says there are 

 martins there this year. The house blew down in the winter and they 

 were late in getting it up, but the birds were there. — J. T. Mellus, 

 Wellesley, May 30, 1909. 



Mr. John Hardy of Belmont also reports this colony. 



