PURPLE MARTIN. 
37 
the male, she finally abandoned the place, and set off, no 
doubt, to seek for a more sociable companion. 
The purple martin, like his half-cousin the king’ bird, 
is the terror of crows, hawks, and eagles. These he 
attacks whenever they make their appearance, and 
with such vigour and rapidity, that they instantly have 
recourse to flight. So well known is this to the lesser 
birds, and to the domestic poultry, that, as soon as they 
hear the martin’s voice, engaged in fight, all is alarm 
and consternation. To observe with what spirit and 
audacity this bird dives and sweeps upon and around the 
hawk or the eagle is astonishing. He also bestows an 
occasional bastinading on the king bird when he finds 
him too near his premises ; though he will, at any time, 
instantly co-operate with him in attacking the common 
enemy. 
The martin differs from all the rest of our swallows 
in the particular prey which he selects. Wasps, bees, 
large beetles, particularly those called by the boys gold- 
smiths , seem his favourite game. I have taken four of 
these large beetles from the stomach of a purple martin, 
each of which seemed entire, and even unbruised. 
The flight of the purple martin unites in it all the 
swiftness, ease, rapidity of turning, and gracefulness of 
motion of its tribe. Like the swift of Europe, he sails 
much with little action of the wings. He passes through 
the most crowded parts of our streets, eluding the 
passengers with the quickness of thought ; or plays 
among the clouds, gliding about at a vast height, like 
an aerial being. His usual note, peuo peuo peuo> is 
loud and musical ; but is frequently succeeded by others 
more low and guttural. Soon after the 20th of August, 
he leaves Pennsylvania for the south. 
This bird has been described, three or four different 
times, by European writers, as so many different species, 
“—the Canadian swallow of Turton, and the great 
American martin of Edwards, being evidently the 
female of the present species. The violet swallow of 
the former author, said to inhabit Louisiana, differs in 
no respect from the present. Deceived by the appear- 
