3i6 Bird -Lore 



ing colonies within a radius of 20 miles from the city. It is of interest to note 

 that this great flock was not made up wholly, or even very largely, of females 

 and young, but contained a large proportion of birds in adult male plumage. 



Every day, for some time previous to the hour of rendezvous at the roost, 

 Martins could be seen drifting slowly in this direction from various parts of 

 the surrounding country, in ones, twos, threes, and small flocks. They seemed to 

 have temporary gathering-places in the country, where a number, 40 or 50, 

 possibly even 100 birds, assembled before beginning their flight to the roost. 

 About twenty-five or thirty minutes before sunset, which during this period of 

 the year changes from 7.10 p.m. to 6.20 p.m., Martins begin to appear over the 

 park and rapidly increase in numbers until the air is full of birds. Those coming 

 from a distance approach the roost chiefly high in air, and fly leisurely back and 

 forth above the city with apparently no concerted movement. Soon they begin 

 to descend and assemble into more compact bodies, which move more rapidly 

 and more uniformly, while newcomers take their places in the space above; 

 lower and lower they come, swirling about low down over the tops of the trees, 

 not, however, in the circHng manner of the Chimney Swift, but much like a 

 flock of Starlings or similar birds. In this swift flight above and among the 

 tops of the trees, they dash into the chosen spots among the branches, often 

 without reduction of speed, until just at the point of alighting — generally a few 

 birds at a time, sometimes a whole company. Strangely enough, they choose 

 the line of trees along the street-car tracks, and even the very branches over- 

 hanging the street. Here they sit in close rows on all the small terminal branches 

 of the treetops, but only a few are visible from the outside. They appear to be 

 restless when first they enter the trees, and often rise in great numbers, fly 

 about for a short time, then settle into their places again. At this time the pass- 

 ing of an electric car usually startles large numbers from the trees, but after 

 a few evolutions they gladly return. A little later in the evening, however, none 

 of the noises of the street seems to disturb them. During all their evolutions 

 in the air the birds are rather remarkably quiet, although their notes are fre- 

 quently heard, and once settled in the trees their voices soon drop to a low 

 murmur, occasionally broken by a louder voice. The whole performance lasts 

 somewhat less than an hour, and all the guests at this Martin hotel are in their 

 beds by twelve to thirty minutes after sunset. 



Such is the sight to be seen here on a clear evening, but during cloudy 

 weather the exhibition is much less spectacular, though it presents some interest- 

 ing features of difference. On very dark days with lowering clouds the birds 

 seem to be decidedly less numerous. They begin to gather earlier than on clear 

 days and spend little time flying about high in the air or about the tree-tops. 

 They fly lower and faster and go almost directly to rest after reaching the roost- 

 ing place. There are thus fewer in the air at any given time than on clear days, 

 and the birds are even more silent. The clouds and low atmospheric pressure 

 seem to dampen their ardor and to lessen their unnecessary activity. 



