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PURPLE MARTIN. 
Swift of Europe, he sails much with little action of* the wings. He 
passes through the most crowded parts of our streets, eluding the pas- 
sengers with a quickness of thought ; or plays among the clouds, gliding 
about at a vast height, like an aerial being. His usual note peuo peuo 
peuo, is loud and musical ; but is frequently succeeded by others more 
low and guttural. Soon after the twentieth of August he leaves Pom- 
sylvania for the south. 
This bird has been described three or four different times by European 
writers, as so many different species. The Canadian Swallow of Turton, 
and the Great American Martin of Edwards, being evidently the female 
of the present species. The Violet Swallow of the former author, said 
to inhabit Louisiana, differs in no respect from the present. Deceived 
by the appearance of the flight of this bird, and its similarity to that 
of the Swift of Europe, strangers from that country have also asserted 
that the Swift is common to North America and the United States. No 
such bird, however, inhabits any part of this continent that I have as 
yet visited. 
The Purple Martin is eight inches in length, and sixteen inches in 
extent ; except the lores, which are black, and wings and tail, which 
are of a broAvnish black, he is of a rich and deep purplish blue, with 
strong violet reflections ; the bill is strong, the gap very large ; the 
legs also short, stout, and of a dark dirty purple ; the tail consists of 
twelve feathers, is considerably forked and edged with purple blue, the 
eye full and dark. 
The female (fig. 2) measures nearly as large as the male ; the upper 
parts are blackish brown, with blue and violet reflections thinly scat- 
tered ; chin and breast grayish brown ; sides under the wings darker ; 
belly and vent whitish, not pure, with stains of dusky and yellow 
ochre-; wings and tail blackish brown 
