I 5 8 PURPLE MARTIN. 



quarter of an hour in the apartment beside her, and has 

 become quite domesticated since her confinement. He sits 

 on the outside dressing and arranging his plumage, occasion- 

 ally passing to the door of the apartment as if to inquire how 

 she does. His notes, at this time, seem to have assumed 

 a peculiar softness, and his gratulations are expressive of 

 much tenderness. Conjugal fidelity, even where there is a 

 number together, seems to be faithfully preserved by these 

 birds. On the 25th of May, a male and female martin took 

 possession of a box in Mr Bartram's garden. A day or two 

 after, a second female made her appearance, and stayed for 

 several days ; but, from the cold reception she met with, 

 being frequently beat off by the male, she finally abandoned 

 the place, and set off, no doubt, to seek for a more sociable 

 companion. 



The purple martin, like his half-cousin the king bird, is 

 the terror of crows, hawks, and eagles. These he attacks 

 whenever they make their appearance, and with such vigour 

 and rapidity, that they instantly have recourse to flight. So 

 well known is this to the lesser birds, and to the domestic 

 poultry, that, as soon as they hear the martin's voice engaged 

 in fight, all is alarm and consternation. To observe with 

 what spirit and audacity this bird dives and sweeps upon and 

 around the hawk or the eagle is astonishing. He also bestows 

 an occasional bastinading on the king bird when he finds him 

 too near his premises ; though he will, at any time, instantly 

 co-operate with him in attacking the common enemy. 



The martin differs from all the rest of our swallows in the 

 particular prey which he selects. Wasps, bees, large beetles, 

 particularly those called by the boys goldsmiths, seem his 

 favourite game. I have taken four of these large beetles 

 from the stomach of a purple martin, each of which seemed 

 entire, and even unbruised. 



The flight of the purple martin unites in it all the swift- 

 ness, ease, rapidity of turning, and gracefulness of motion of 

 its tribe. Like the swift of Europe, he sails much with little 



