366 PURPLE MARTIN. 
with more than one man who disliked the Martins, and would not per- 
mit them to settle about his house. This was a penurious, close-fisted 
German, who hated them, because, as he said, “they eat his peas.” 1 
told him he must certainly be mistaken, as I never knew an instance 
of Martins eating peas; but he replied with coolness, that he had 
many times seen them himself “blaying near the hife, and going 
schnip, schnap,” by which I understood that it was his bees that had 
been the sufferers; and the charge could not be denied. 
This sociable and half-domesticated bird arrives in’ the southern 
frontiers of the United States late in February, or early in March; 
reaches Pennsylvania about the Ist of April, and extends his migra- 
tions as far north as the country round Hudson’s Bay, where he is first 
seen in May, and disappears in August; so, according to the doctrine 
of torpidity, has, consequently, a pretty long annual nap, in those 
frozen regions, of eight or nine months under the ice! We, however, 
choose to consider him as advancing northerly with the gradual 
approach of spring, and retiring with his young family, on the first 
decline of summer, to a more congenial climate. 
The summer residence of this agreeable bird is universally among 
the habitations of man; who, having no interest in his destruction, and 
deriving considerable advantage, as well as amusement, from his com- 
pany, is generally his friend and protector. Wherever he comes, he 
finds some hospitable retreat fitted up for his accommodation, and that 
of his young, either in the projecting wooden cornice, on the top of 
the roof, or sign-post, in the box appropriated to the Blue Bird ; or, if 
all these be wanting, in the Dove-house among the Pigeons. In this 
last case, he sometimes takes possession of one quarter, or tier, of the 
premises, in which not a Pigeon dare for a moment set itsfoot.. Some 
people have large conveniences formed for the Martins, with many. 
apartments, which are usually full tenanted, and occupied regularly 
every spring; and, in such places, particular individuals have been 
ticularly the bil], to an extraordinary extent. The bill is very nearly that of a 
Procnias, or Ptiliozonys ; but the economy of the bird presents no affinity to the 
berry-eaters ; and the only difference in its feeding seems the preference to larger 
beetles, wasps, or bees, which its strength enables it to despatch without any dan- 
er to itself. 
. This bird exclusively belongs to the New World, and its migrations have a ver, 
extensive range. It makes iis fitst appearance at Great Bear Lake on the 17th 
May, at which time the snow still partially covers the ground, and the rivers and 
lakes are fast bound in ice. In the middle of August, it retires again with its youn 
brood from the Fur Countries. In a southern rection, Mr. Swainson observe 
numbers round Pernambuco, 8} degrees south of the line. They migrate in flocks, 
and at a very slow rate. The account of Mr. Audubon, who witnessed them, will 
show the possibility of much less powerful birds performing an immense distance, 
especially where every mile brings them an additional supply of food, and a more 
genial climate. I give his own words :—“ I have had several Herb at the 
aperiee of thegearrival, of seeing prodigious flocks moving over that city (New Or- 
leans) or its vicinity, at a considerable height, each bird performing circular sweeps 
as it proceeded, for the purpose of procuring food. These flocks were loose, and 
moved eithey westward, or towards the north-west, at a rate not exceeding four 
miles in the hour, as I walked under one of them, with ease, for upwards of two 
miles, at that rate, on the 4th of February, 1821, on the bank of the river below 
the city, constantly looking up at the birds, to the great astonishment of many:pas- 
sengers, who were bent on far different pursuits. My Fahrenheit’s thermometer 
stood at 68°, the weather being calm and drizzly. This flock extended about a mile 
-and a half in length, by a quarter of a mile in breadth.” — Ep. 
Hf 
