174 
THE PURPLE MARTIN. 
All our cities are furnished with houses for the reception of these birds ; 
and it is seldom that even lads bent upon mischief distui’b the favoured Mar- 
tin. He sweeps along the streets, here and there seizing a fly, hangs to the 
eaves of the houses, or peeps into them, as he poises himself in the air in 
front of the windows, or mounts high above the city, soaring into the clear 
sky, plays with the string of the child’s kite, snapping at it, as he swiftly 
passes, with unerring precision, or suddenly sweeps along the roofs, chasing 
off grimalkin, who is probably prowling in quest of his young. 
In the Middle States, the nest of the Martin is built, or that of the preced- 
ing year repaired and augmented, eight or ten days after its arrival, or about 
the 20th of April. It is composed of dry sticks, willow-twigs, grasses, leaves 
green and dry, feathers, and whatever rags he meets with. The eggs, which 
are pure white, are from four to six. Many pairs resort to the same box to 
breed, and the little fraternity appear to live in perfect harmony. They rear 
two broods in a season. The first comes forth in the end of May, the second 
about the middle of July. In Louisiana, they sometimes have three broods. 
The male takes part of the labour of incubation, and is extremely attentive 
to his mate. He is seen twittering on the box, and frequently flying past 
the hole. His notes are at this time emphatic al and prolonged, low and 
less musical than even his common pews. Their food consists entirely of 
insects, among which are large beetles. They seldom seize the honey-bee. 
The circumstance of their leaving the United States so early in autumn, 
has inclined me to think that they must go farther south than any of our 
migratory land birds. 
Purple Martin, Ilirundo purpurea, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. i. p. 58. 
Hirundo purpurea, Bonap. Syn., p. 64. 
Purple Martin, Hirundo purpurea, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 598. 
Purple Martin, Hirundo purpurea, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. i. p. 115 ; vol. v. p. 408. 
Bill rather stout ; wings as long as the tail, which is deeply emarginate. 
Plumage silky, shining, purplish-black, with steel-blue reflections; quills 
and tail-feathers brownish-black ; tarsi and toes purplish-black, Female 
with the upper parts paler, and tinged with grey, the lower light grey, 
longitudinally streaked with black. 
Male, 7i, 16. Female 7 T 7 2> 15 A- 
