PURPLE MARTIN. 119 



pendent Indian is also fond of the Martin's company. He frequently 

 hangs up a calabash on some twig near his camp, and in this cradle the 

 bird keeps watch, and sallies forth to drive off the vulture that might 

 otherwise commit depredations on the deer-skins or pieces of venison ex- 

 posed to the air to be dried. The humbled slave of the Southern States 

 takes more pains to accommodate this favourite bird. The calabash is 

 neatly scooped out, and attached to the flexible top of a cane, brought 

 from the swamp, where that plant usually grows, and placed close to his 

 hut. It is, alas ! to him a mere memento of the freedom which he once 

 enjoyed ; and, at the sound of the horn which calls him to his labour, as 

 he bids farewell to the Martin, he cannot help thinking how happy he 

 should be, were he permitted to gambol and enjoy himself day after day, 

 with as much liberty as that bird. Almost every country tavern has a 

 Martin box on the upper part of its sign-board ; and I have observed that 

 the handsomer the box, the better does the inn generally prove to be. 



All our cities are furnished with houses for the reception of these 

 birds ; and it is seldom that even lads bent upon mischief disturb the fa- 

 voured Martin. He sweeps along the streets, here and there seizing a 

 fly, hangs to the eaves of the houses, or peeps into them, as he poises him- 

 self in the air in front of the windows, or mounts high above the city, 

 soaring into the clear sky, plays with the string of the child's kite, snap- 

 ping at it, as he swiftly passes, with unerring precision, or suddenly 

 sweeps along the^roofs, i^haoiog off g-riniallrir., .. holh p'^'Ks>My prowling 

 in quest of his young. 



In the Middle States, the nest of the Martin is built, or that of the 

 preceding year repaired and augmented, eight or ten dayo afu-r its arri- 

 val, or about the J20th of April. It is composed of dry sticks, willow- 

 twigs, grasses, leaves, green and dry, feathers, and whatever rags he meets 

 with. The eggs, which are pure white, are from four to six. Many 

 pairs resort to the same box to breed, and the httle fraternity appear to 

 live in perfect harmony. They rear two broods in a season. The first 

 comes forth in the end of May, the second about the middle of July. In 

 Louisiana, they sometimes have three broods. The male takes part of 

 the labour of incubation, and is extremely attentive to his mate. He is 

 seen twittering on the box, and frequently flying past the hole. His notes 

 are at this time emphatical and prolonged, low and less musical than even 

 his common pews. Their food consists entirely of insects, among which 

 are large beetles. They seldom seize the honey-bee. 



