of the hamilton association. 255 



Family HIRUNDINID^ Swallows. 



Genus PROGNE Boie. 

 233. PROGNE SUBIS (Linn.), fill. 



Purple Martin. 



Lustrous blue-black. The female and young are much duller above, and 

 more or less white belcw, streaked with gray. Length, 7 or more; wing, 

 nearly 6 ; tail, 3^, simply forked. 



Hab. Temperate North America, south to Mexico. 



Nest, of hay, straw, bits of twine and paper, lined with feathers. 



Eggs 4 ; pure white. 



The Purple Martin arrives m Southern Ontario about the 

 loth of May, and though generally distributed is nowhere abun- 

 dant. Its original nesting place was in a knot-hole or other 

 hollow in a tree, but now, seeking the society of man, it raises its 

 3'oung in boxes put up for its accommodation, or in the 

 interstices of the gothic architecture of our city buildings. 



Its flight is rapid and its aerial evolutions often extremelv 

 graceful, while at other times it may be seen sailing Hawk-like 

 with very little action of the wings. 



The}' are general favorites in town and country, and are 

 made welcome everywhere. Before leaving in the fall they 

 have a grand gathering, which is thus described by Dr. 

 Wheaton in the "Birds of Ohio :" 



"After the breeding season is over, these birds congregate 

 towards night in large flocks, and having selected a suitable 

 cornice on some high building make preparations for spending 

 the night. The retiring ceremon}' is verj? formal, to judge from 

 the number of times they alight and ari-se again, all the while 

 keeping up a noisy chatter. It is not until twilight deepens 

 into evening that all are huddled together in silence and slumber, 

 and their slumbers are often disturbed by some 3'oungster falling 

 out of bed amid the derisive laughter of his neighbors, which 

 is changed to petulant scolding as he clambers over them to 

 regain his perch, tumbling others down as he does so. All at 



