338 PURPLE MARTIN. 
and it hardly ever accepts nesting-boxes attached to trees, preferring locations where 
the chance is given to dart in and out uninterrupted by any obstacle. 
In the northern part of our country a few Martins appear late in April. The first 
arrivals are old males, who come to investigate the old nesting-places and hunting 
grounds, and then disappear again for a few days. These are evidently the scouts, 
who doubtless fly back to rejoin the main army, which makes its appearance a number 
of days later. In Texas and northern Florida they arrive late in February; in south- 
western Missouri I observed the reconnoitering males about the middle of April, while 
the main body did not arrive until the 26th of that month. They at once announce 
their return by their loud melodious twittering song and take possession of their old 
nesting-boxes. Very frequently a colony of European Sparrows has forestalled them, 
which often occasions bitterly contested feuds. If the invading proletarians are numerous, 
then our brave Martin is vanquished and must seek another home. But frequently 
these Swallows are victorious, and, the foreign intruder, after leaving some of its 
plumage on the battle-field, departs loudly scolding. Then the Martins, announcing their 
victory in loud jubilating sounds, rise high into the air, almost invisible to the human 
eye, and after a few moments return, gayly twittering, to their nesting-box. Although 
they care little, whether on high or low ground, they prefer to domesticate themselves 
wherever water is near. Brooks, ponds, rivers, and lakes are their favorite hunting 
grounds. For hours in their flight they will almost skim the surface of the water, 
catching insects, drinking, and even taking a bath. In great numbers they also fly over 
treeless marshes and bushless lowlands, where in the warm season swarms of mosquitoes 
and other small insects abound. At the North the returned Martins not infrequently 
have a hungry time late in April and early in May, when the season is exceedingly 
changeable and backward, and flying insects are still scarce. But by the middle of May 
gentler zephyrs blow; the bursting buds open rapidly. By the end of that month all is 
in bloom, and the richest fresh green foliage expands rapidly. Grass and weeds shoot 
up thriftily, and with these the immense and varied army of insects celebrates its 
resurrection. The “bill of fare” for all the small birds is now richly varied and plentiful. 
Cheerily twitters and jubilates the feathered choir, but above all others, and louder and 
cheerier than all, our beautiful lustrous Purple Martin. Now is ‘the time for nest- 
building. Bits of straw, hay, old leaves, plant stems, feathers, rags, twine, and some- 
times mud, are carried into the nesting-box promiscuously and piled up rather loosely. 
The cavity is more carefully lined with feathers from the poultry yard, bits of cotton, 
and the like. Fearlessly these beautiful birds come to the very house door to pick up 
material for their nest. The eggs, usually four to five, rarely six in number, are pure 
white, never spotted. 
Formerly, before our country was settled by the European race, when vast regions 
were covered by primeval forests, the Martin’s resort for nesting and shelter was to 
hollow trees and crevices in rocks. “The introduction of civilized life, and with it of 
safer and more convenient places, better adapted to their wants, has wrought an entire 
change in its habits. It is now very rarely known to resort to a hollow tree, though 
it will do so where better provision is not to be had. Comfortable and convenient 
boxes, of various devices, in our cities and large towns, attract them to build in small 
