98 Bird - Lore 



at 7.32 P.M., and on August 24, at 7.13 p.m. Unlike all the other hostelries in 

 war-crowded Washington, this Martin lodging-house seemed to have plenty 

 of room for all comers. The birds appeared restless for some time after settling 

 into the trees, and sometimes, particularly when roused by the firing of a gun, 

 the clapping of hands, or other sudden noise, would rise in numbers and circle 

 over the tree-tops, soon, however, dropping into their places again. There was, 

 also, more or less moving about among the branches of the trees, as many of 

 the birds exchanged their places for others apparently more to their liking. Dur- 

 ing the early part of August, they were exceedingly noisy, and continued their 

 chattering well into the night, usually later than 10 p.m.; but as the month 

 waned they gradually became more silent and often scarcely uttered a note 

 after all had entered the roost. At first a large proportion of the birds were 

 adult males, but later on their places were taken almost entirely by females 

 and young. 



Purple Crackles and European Starlings roosted in the trees adjacent to 

 those occupied by the Martins, but the number of the former was never over 

 150, of the latter not over 100, and both of these species gradually diminished 

 in numbers and finally disappeared from the vicinity while the Martins were 

 still there. The same is true of the Bank Swallows, of which on August 5, 

 there were 250 roosting in the same trees with the Martins, though on no other 

 occasion were there over 40, and usually a much smaller number. These 

 Swallows always appeared just as the last few of the Martins were entering 

 the roost, and immediately sought places among the trees. Often they came 

 in after the last of the Martins, sometimes as much as ten minutes later. A 

 small flock of about 100 Chimney Swifts resorted to a chimney near the Martin 

 roost on the evening of August 20, though their presence doubtless had little 

 or no connection with the Martins. 



The writer is indebted to Mr. R. M. Barr, night superintendent of the Red 

 Cross Building, for interesting particulars concerning the actions of the Purple 

 Martins at the roost after dark. On July 25, about 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening, 

 the birds were evidently much disturbed by a heavy thunder-storm, for after 

 every brilliant flash of lightning followed by heavy thunder they rushed from 

 the trees in great clouds, flew wildly about for a short time, and then settled 

 into the roost again. The same performance was repeated a number of times 

 during the course of the storm. This observation is of considerable interest, 

 for we have comparatively little accurate information regarding the behavior 

 of birds of any kind during the hours of darkness. 



On August 21 the roost was visited early in the morning for the purpose of 

 ascertaining when the birds departed. Before 4 a.m. (actual standard time) 

 the Martins were entirely silent, and we heard their first note at 4.03 a.m. 

 Subsequently no sound came from them until 4.35 a.m., when a chorus began 

 which continued with scarcely a break thereafter. At 4.40 a.m. the birds became 

 somewhat restless and commenced to move about from branch to branch 



