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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE PURPLE MARTIN: 
AMERICA’S MOST WANTED BIRD 
By J. L. Wade. Distributed by Griggsville Wild Bird Society, 
Griggsville, Ill. 218 pages; 79 photos. $4.95 
The book tells the story of Griggsville, Illinois, “Purple Martin Capital 
of the Nation,” and was written by J. L. Wade, the man most important 
in boosting both the town and the bird to national prominence. One-half 
of the book tells how the bird was promoted; the second half is devoted 
to martin facts and opinions which were accumulated during the first four 
years of the Griggsville project. 
In the opening chapters, readers will learn the origin of the phrase, 
“A purple martin will eat 2,000 mosquitoes per day”; the background of the 
Illinois cardinal-martin state bird debate in 1965; the origin of “Purple 
Martin Time” celebrations; and many other features of the “purple martin 
story.” He explains all of the projects which Griggsville has undertaken 
to make the nation bird-conscious. 
Mr. Wade believes that the purple martin can bring a large new bloc 
of our populace into the fold of nature enthusiasts and conservationists. 
His reasoning is that any person who succeeds in attracting martins to 
colonize in his yard will like them so much that he inevitably will become 
interested in other types of wildlife, too. This is the philosophy behind 
the creation of the Griggsville Wild Bird Society and its monthly publica- 
tion, “The Purple Martin Capital News,” and Mr. Wade claims the growing 
success of both institutions supports his belief that the purple martin is 
leading a new conservation movement. 
In later chapters he discusses in much detail what the people of Griggs- 
ville have learned about pesticides, weather, sparrows, starlings, migration, 
range and habitat of the martin. He has read extensively of published work 
by other authors, and also literally sprinkles his text with quotes from 
backyard bird enthusiasts from all parts of the country. 
Using aluminum, and following an outline of the martins’ needs as 
set down by Dr. T. E. Musselman of Quincy, Mr. Wade’s factory, Trio 
Manufacturing Company, developed in 1962 an innovational martin house 
which is now in wide usage. Mr. Wade devotes some time to discussing 
reasons for developing various design features of the house, and also tells 
why he believes a better bird house can increase the population of the 
martin. But the book is not limited just to discussing that type of house. 
It has photos of both gourds and elaborate wooden houses among its 33 
color and 46 black-and-white photos. 
A wide variety of subjects is included among photos in the book. 
Some of the most striking are color close-up shots of the martins them- 
selves, taken in Griggsville. 
Photography in the book is excellent and the story is well-written 
and unusual. It is a book which should be of interest not only to Illinoisans 
curious about the little town of Griggsville in the western part of the 
state, but also to citizens everywhere who are concerned about public 
apathy toward wildlife, or the recent emphasis on pesticides as cure-alls. 
Mr. Wade leaves little doubt that he believes martins and other wild birds 
should be given a larger role in insect control and chemical pesticides 
a smaller role. 
—Tom Coulson, Griggsville, Il. 
