Some Wonders from the West. 
LTV. — A MARTIN VILLAGE. 
and dwells by preference where man has his 
habitation, rarely being seen far from settle- 
ments. This fact has led to the custom of 
supplying him with a home for himself and 
family. There are few farms that have not 
a martin house reared for Mr. Martin, and 
the invitation extended by an unoccupied 
box is soon accepted. No “ To Let ” sign is 
necessary ; the mere fact of the house being 
untenanted is sufficient for the martins, and 
once domiciled they fight for their homes 
valiantly, rendering service for the leasehold 
by protecting the feathered dwellers in the 
barn-yards from the attacks of thieving 
hawks. 
The largest martin village in the United 
States is one maintained by Mr. Otto 
Widmann, a few miles from St. Louis, in the 
State of Missouri. There are eighteen houses 
in the village proper, and every spring the 
martins return there. The inevitable spring 
house-cleaning is no small task, but they 
work valiantly, putting things to rights and 
refitting, and then settle down to their Lili- 
putian housekeeping for the summer months. 
The houses in the little village are all in a 
row and face towards the south. In front of 
A GENERAL VIEW OF THE MARTIN VILLAGE. 
From a Photo. 
NE of the best- 
known birds of 
temperate North 
America is the 
purple martin. He 
is a bold fellow and follows 
the first breath of spring north 
from Cuba and Mexico, where 
he passes the winter months. 
Long of wing and swallow- 
like in form, he is a strong 
flier and he knows not what 
fear is. The larger predatory 
birds are aware of his prowess, 
and the call of the single martin 
to the clans is followed by a 
precipitate retreat on the part 
of the trespasser. He is of an 
extremely sociable disposition, 
From a] a nearer view of some of the martin houses. [ Photo 
