rROGNE. 333 



steamer warps up to the pier there are always a few })erched on 

 the ridge of a nearbv roof or garrulously hoverino; over the deck. 

 Proceeding inland by water or on foot one will see them always 

 present, where human habitations exist. 



"The Grrey-breasted Martins, like their relatives of the north, 

 thrive whenever there is a house and a clearing. They are one 

 of the many birds that have adapted themselves to the advances 

 of civilization, and, like others, tind the new conditions congenial. 

 They are extremely tame and unafraid, and because of this courage 

 and pugnacity they are one of the most useful birds that gather 

 about tlie homestead. No low-flying Hawk will for long with- 

 stand the vicious onslaughts of the many Martins that gather 

 about him. Thus the life of many a seed-eating Finch and cater- 

 pillar-destroying Wren has been preserved. 



" The windows of Kalakoon House always remained open, and 

 soon after our arrival several Martins took advantage of this to 

 roost on the rafters over our head, enterino- throuoh a window 

 close beneath the peak of the roof. On the rare occasions when 

 it had to be closed on account of the rain which poured in gusts, 

 the birds gatlicred outside in numbers^ some on tie sill and others 

 on the eaves above, and tried to express their troubles in a lopd 

 bubbling and chatter. Though there were other o})en windows 

 nearby, they never used them, but always, if their own private 

 entrance were closed, sought other roosting places for the night. 

 They roosted in pairs and never allowed a third to encroach upon 

 what they considered their own territory. 



" Later on, near the end of March — the middle of the short dry 

 season — mating instincts became uppermost and the Martins 

 commenced to consider sites for their nests. Unfortunately for 

 us, one pair decided that their roosting place on the rafters was 

 an ideal situation ; so for the next few weeks there was a continual 

 shower of sticks and >traws from above. Fortunately they gave 

 it up after a month of vain attein])t and sought a new spot. 



''A small box with four compartments had been erected a short 

 time before, on a |»ole, with the iiope that some of the birds would 

 take advantage of it. Immediately a ])air of Palm Tanagers took 

 possession. This was too much for our |)air of Martins, which J'.t 

 once — incited by jealously and n(^o(l for a new home — drove away 

 the Tanagers and api»ro[»riated tho jiartially completed nest as 



