PURPLE MARTIN. 
409 
my carpenter was employed to form a large box with a number 
of apartments for the Martin. The box was put up in the au- 
tumn. Near and around the house were a number of well grown 
apple trees and much shrubbery, a very fit haunt for the feath- 
ered race. About the middle of February the Blue-birds came; 
in a short time they were very familiar, and took possession of 
the box: these consisted of two or three pairs. By the fifteenth 
of May the Blue-birds. had eggs, if not young. Now the Mar- 
tins arrived in numbers, visited the box, and a severe conflict 
ensued. The Blue-birds seemingly animated by their right of 
possession, or for the protection of their young, were victorious. 
The Martins regularly arrived about the middle of May for the 
eight following years, examined the apartments of the box in 
the absence of the Blue-birds, but were uniformly compelled to 
fly upon the return of the latter. 
‘‘The trouble caused you by reading this note you will be 
pleased to charge to the Martin. A box replete with that beau- 
tiful traveller, is not very distant from my bed head. Their 
notes seem discordant because of their numbers; yet to me they 
are pleasing. The industrious farmer and mechanic would do 
well to have a box fixed near the apartments of their drowsy 
labourers. Just as the dawn approaches, the Martin begins its 
notes, which last half a minute or more; and then subside until 
the twilight is fairly broken. An animated and incessant musi- 
cal chattering now ensues, sufficient, to arouse the most sleepy 
person. Perhaps chanticleer is not their superior in this benefi- 
cial qualification; and he is far beneath the Martin in his pow- 
ers of annoying birds of prey. ” 
I shall add a few particulars to this faithful and interesting 
sketch by my deceased friend. About the middle or twentieth 
of April the Martins first begin to prepare their nest. The last 
of these which I examined was formed of dry leaves of the 
weeping willow, slender straws, hay and feathers, in considerable 
quantity. The eggs were four, very small for the size of the 
bird, and pure white without any spots. The first brood appears 
in May, the second late in July. During the period in which 
VOL. II. — 3 F 
