408 
PURPLE MARTIN. 
few months before his death, and with which I am happy to 
honour my performance. — The history of the Purple Martin 
of America,” says he, ‘‘which is indigenous in Pennsylvania 
and countries very far north of our latitude, will, under your 
control, become extremely interesting. We know its manners, 
habitudes, and useful qualities here; but we are not generally 
acquainted with some traits in its character, which in my mind 
rank it in the class of the most remarkable birds of passage. 
Somewhere (I cannot now refer to book and page) in Anson’s 
Voyage, or in Dampier, or some other southern voyager, I re- 
collect that the Martin is named as an inhabitant of the regions 
of southern America, particularly of Chili; and in consequence 
from the knowledge we have of its immense emigration north- 
ward in our own country, we may fairly presume that its flight 
extends to the south as far as Terra del Fuego. If the conjecture 
be well founded, we may with some certainty place this useful 
and delightful companion and friend of the human race as the 
first in the order of birds of passage. Nature has furnished it 
with a lengthy, strong, and nervous pinion; its legs are short 
too, as not to impede its passage; the head and body are flattish; 
in short, it has every indication from bodily formation that 
Providence intended it as a bird of the longest flight. Belknap 
speaks of it as a visitant of New Hampshire. I have seen it in 
great numbers at Quebec. Hearne speaks of it in lat. 60° North. 
To ascertain the times of the coming of the Martin to New Or- 
leans, and its migration to and from Mexico, Quito and Chili, 
are desirable data in the history of this bird; but it is probable 
that the state of science in those countries render this wish 
hopeless. 
“Relative to the domestic history, if it may be so called, of 
the Blue-bird (of which you have given so correct and charm- 
ing a description) and the Martin, permit me to give you an 
anecdote. In 1800 I removed from Lancaster to a farm a few 
miles above Harrisburgh. Knowing the benefit derivable to a 
farmer from the neighbourhood of the Martin in preventing the 
depredations of the Bald Eagle, the Hawks and even the Crows, 
