THE rUKPLE MAKTIN. 387 



nest are fine grasses, liay, and feathers : these are adjusted loosely in the 

 cavity of the tree, and witliuut any form. Tlie eggs are, most commonly, 

 five in number. Their color is a beautiful clear white, with a roseate tint 

 before tlieir contents are removed. They are extremely thin and fragile, 

 much more so than most of the other species ; and their form is a slender 

 oval. The eggs are about .79 by .5G inch. Two broods are generally 

 reared in the season, and the period of incubation is fourteen days. 



The Bank Swallow, unlike all our other swallows, avoids the immediate 

 neigliborhood of man in selecting its breeding-place ; and it is abunduut 

 only in tiie neighborhood of streams, or other sheets of water. It is dis- 

 tributed with us as a sununer resident, and in many localities is very abun- 

 dant. It arrives the first week in May, often earlier, and soon pairs, and 

 commences building, or rather exca\ating, for tiie nest. Tiie excavations 

 are made in sand-banks, in the same manner as those of the kingfisher, and 

 are often three or four feet in depth, usually about eigliteen iuclies. At tiie 

 end of this burrow, which is widened and enlarged, is placed the nest, com- 

 posed of dried grasses, hay, feathers, and other like soft materials. The 

 birds are sociable in their habits, as are all the otiier species; and often as 

 many as twenty and thirty holes may be seen in tiie same bank. Tlie num- 

 ber of eggs is eitlier five or four. These are of a pure white color, and vary 

 but little in size or sliape ; the latter being almost always o\al, and tlie size 

 ranging from .72 by .52 inch to .G8 by .4SJ inch. Usually two broods are 

 reared in the season, but often only one. 



In habits, this bird resembles the other swallows, but is not so quarrel- 

 some as they, and we never noticed two of this species fighting. Its note is 

 not, like theirs, siirill and oft-repeated, but is only a seldom-uttered lisping 

 chatter. It leaves New England liy the last week in August. 



The Purple Martin is another of our familiar swallows. Wilson's descrip- 

 tion of it is as follows : — 



"The summer residence of tliis agreealde bird is universally among tlie 

 habitations of man, who, having no interest in ids destruction, and deriving 

 considerable advantage as well as amusement from his company, is gener- 

 ally his friend and protector. Wliere\er he comes, he finds some hospitable 

 retreat fitted up for his accommodation and that of his young, either in the 

 projecting >vooden cornice, on tlie top of the roof or sign-post, in the bo.x 

 appropriated to the bluebird, or, if all these be wanting, in the dove-house 

 among the pigeons. In this last case, he sometimes takes possession of one 

 quarter or tier of the premises, in which not a jiigcon dare for a moment 

 set its foot. Some people have large conveniences formed for the martins, 

 with many apartments, which are usually full tenanted, and occupied regu- 

 larly every spring ; and, in such places, particular individuals have been 



