AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 



271 



OUR PURPLE MARTINS. 



By F. D. p. 



This colony was started at my home in Marion, O., by myself about 

 20 years ago, 'by simply placing a small box on a high pole, scarcely 10 

 feet above the grounds; a year later a more substantial house of four 

 rooms was erected which served for a number of years and about 7 years 

 ago I made a very large house of 8 rooms and two hallways extending 

 from one side to the other on both floors, the rooms being separated 

 from the halls by screen wire, which gives constant ventilation. I re- 

 gret I have not kept closer record of these birds as regards numbers 

 and time of arrival and departure but will say that it has varied great- 

 ly in the history of the colony, this year has broken all records in the 

 way of numbers and number of young raised to maturity, 36 young 

 having been raised this season. In a number of former years they 



Photo by C. A. Reed. 



CHICKADEE ON EDGE OF NEST HOLE. 



have all been gone by the 1st of August, but this season at the middle 

 of August finds them still here in large numbers. The young present a 



