Identifier: birdcraftfield00wrig (find matches)
Title: Birdcraft : a field book of two hundred song, game, and water birds
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Wright, Mabel Osgood, 1859-1934 Fuertes, Louis Agassiz, 1874-1927
Subjects: Birds -- United States
Publisher: New York : Macmillan Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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nd the farmer,usually so callous toward bird attractions, has no word forhim but of praise; as he consumes a vast quantity ofevil insects, and these, too, of a larger size and differentclass from those captured by other Swallows, and he doesnot claim a single bud or berry to discount his utility. Even among the wild men he was always a protectedguest. Wilson relates that the Choctaw and ChickasawIndians used to strip the leaves from small trees neartheir encampments, and hang upon the prongs, hollowed-out gourds that the Martins might nest in them, and theMississippi negroes also hung similar contrivances on longcanes to coax the Martin to stay. The Purple Martin is as courageous as the Kingbird inattacking Crows and Hawks, but for all this he seemsunable to cope with the English Sparrow, who is steadilyand persistently appropriating his houses. The Sparrowhas the advantage of being more prolific, as well as moregross and brutal in its methods, and represents in the bird 126 PLATE 23.
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PURPLE MARTIN. 1- ^lale. 2. Female. Length, 7.50 inches. SONG-BIRDS. SwaUowa world a class of emigrants whose human prototypes thenative American can barely withstand. Cliff Swallow; Eaves Swallow: Petrochelidon luni- frons. Length: 5-5.60 inches. Male and Female : Above brilliant steel-blue ; beneath dusky white.Sides of head, throat and chin rufous. Wings and tail glossedwith black. Bill dark ; feet brown. White, crescent-like front-let, hence its specific name lunifrons, from luna, the moon, andfrons, front. Song : A squeak, more than a twitter. Season : Early April to late August. Breeds : In colonies, raising two broods a year. Nest: Either a bracket, or gourd-shaped, with the opening at the neck ;of mud, with straws and feather-lined; placed under eaves orrocky cliSs. Eggs: 4-6, white with brown and purple markings. Bange : North America at large, south in winter to Brazil and Para-guay. This familiar Swallow, which we in the East know as thebird who builds its much-modified, go

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