256 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



from their native nesting boxes in other States. The ensuing 

 Sirring these and others that have been crowded out of their 

 natal boxes are on the watch for breeding places in this State. 

 Why, then, do not martins increase faster in Massachusetts ? 

 The only good reasons that can be assigned for the failure 

 of the young birds, reared in the States about us or within 

 our territory, to repopulate the State with martins are (1) 

 we do not put up enough suitable houses properly located ; 

 (2) those put up are mainly occupied by English sparrows 

 or other birds. 



The jDurple martin is one of the most graceful, beautiful, 

 companionable and useful of insectivorous birds. Its food 

 is believed to consist entirely of insects. In the compart- 

 ments of a martin box were found enormous numbers of the 

 wing cases of the striped cucumber beetle. A correspondent 

 from Ohio remarks that he believes that a large colony of 

 martins on his grounds destroys a cartload of insects every 

 summer. The martin is a valuable ally to the farmer, be- 

 cause of its habit of driving hawks and crows away from 

 the farmyard, thus becoming a protector of the young 

 poultry. We need more martins in Massachusetts. 



We must hring hach the Martins. 



After what has been said above, the question " how shall 

 we bring back the martins " answers itself. We must do as 

 our forefathers did — furnish them nesting boxes; and then 

 do what our forefathers were not obliged to do, — keep out 

 sparrows as well as other enemies. Certain conditions must 

 be observed in locating and building the boxes or we cannot 

 expect that they will be occupied by martins. 



The purple martin is not a bird of the Canadian fauna and 

 cannot be expected to breed on our mountain tops. In this 

 latitude it will thrive best in the low altitudes and on fertile 

 lands. Broad river valleys, with fresh-water meadows, moist 

 fields and gardens are its favorite resorts, for in such locali- 

 ties an abu^ndance of vegetation insures a sufficiency of in- 

 sect food, as well as sheltered nooks where insects may be 

 found, even on the cold mornings of late April and early 

 May. Concord, which now probal)ly harbors more martins 



