66 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
eggs in the nest of the chimney swallow, and two 
broods of young in a season. 
“ Two chimney swallows once set up housekeeping 
in the chimney of an old house in France that had 
a moving iron chimney-pot placed on it to keep it 
from smoking. The fireplace with which it com- 
municated had been bricked up, so that it was quite 
a safe place for a nest. But every time the wind 
blew the old chimney-pot moved and made the most 
dismal creaking. The swallows must have liked this, 
for they built their nest there for two successive 
years, though often, when the wind was high, they 
might be seen for several minutes together trying in 
vain to get into the crazy old chimney-pot, that would 
not stand still. 
“The purple martin is one of the most sociable 
and domestic little birds imaginable, and a great 
favorite everywhere. He likes to be very close to 
the habitations of man, whom he always seems to 
regard as 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, 
