The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-16
O NATURE NOTES.
tho Fiitting or . Pair Of Fork Tailed PhsE
toms-Neet Building.

| tho Fiitting or . Pair Of Fork Tailed Phan-
toms-Ncet Building.
Tho FIRST year that birds are known 10
| nest In q particular place n worthy Of note
In the n~atlralist's calendar. II the same
birds return year after year the nesting
season becomes q time Of p~leasurabls
anticipation to those who watch for tho
coming. for 1t so frequently happens that .
| site onoe chosen will always commend
itself to the nest builder.
It may DO that tho same pair Of birds
return or that one Of the young ones, now
full grown, has mated and comes back
to is old home to seek Q reliable domioile.
says the London Daily Graph,c. And this
10 one Of the advantages Of possessing q
well established garden or an old house,
for they have become known to the birds.
When I first took possession Of . gablsd
house In Surrey 1t was with the hope that
the martins would 20 far honor me Is to
build under my caves. The house waa o new
one and It would take time to become Ia
miliar to summer visitors. but during tho
second year the martins came. A pair OF
forktailed phantoms were seen to hit to and
fro for several days g. II on q tour Of In
spection. But the sperrows ruled II other-
wise. With their customary high handed
conduct thsy. drove the martins away.
and ave summers passed before they came
again. Not the same who first sought
shelter, but 9. younger and more intrepid
pair whom tie stout beaked sparrows
TO and fro Tidy came. The preliminary
tour Of inspection was 80 prolonged ~. 70
give me hope that this pair OF martins
would remain. and this o proved TO DO
A rough cast wall gives Q good foethold
30 pellets Of moist mud, and traces Of such
material could be detected here and there
! under the caves. In one particular division
e the E SvssSssg aaliy roof Sad shsse sin and fe slo%f1
but surely the nest grew. Sparrows might
sit In tho gutter above and gaze with fierce.
malevolent eyes at the martins at their work,
but 30 far they have not succeeded in eject
little builder boldly scattering q couple Of
inquisitive young sparrows who atghted
on the threshhold Of It's nest.
The work Of nest building / now see to DO
n Of immense labor, Four weeks ago 9
july was Il Completed. I brought q chair
on to tho gravel walk beneath this side Of
the house and watched the work - 1t pro-
oeeded, while another pair OF house martins
began to build under the sam caves; such
but we arc apt to forget the size OF the
builders. When the first narrow ledge 10
made the mud Ii added bit by bit. Not
merely brought from the river bank or the
nearest puddle and placed on the support
It's place by bill and feet with all the care and
knowledge Of an experienced mason:
As ! write the work goes on. In the hrst
nest the owner Ia busy furnishing with bits
Of straw. hay and feathers. The whole OF
the outward structure appears to be COM
plets, and the interior 10 walled up to the
roof with just the customary little aperture
left as entrance and exit. i can just zee
the face Of the little owner appearing every
now and then at the opening-busy putting
peck OF the beak here and a tap there and
then a plunge into the far depths TO smooth
out some roughness that might be un-
comfortable for the young ones.
Next door tho more laggard neighbor
tolls on, every two minutes going Oh for
fresh material and returning with an APP |
parently never failing supply. This little
bird has grown accustomed to my presence
and seems to know that I am interested In
the work, and when I stand, glass in hand.
pied in placing each fresh piece Of material |
Is double a long as when I sit some dis |
lance of and affect to take no notice. |
This Ia the way we build our nests 1t
seems to say. glancing In my direction as
and fills in the slowly growing cup shaped
sides. |
A third pair Of martins come flying by. |
and seeing the finished nest endeavor TO
take possession of the one not yet com
plste. thinking. no doubt to ave them
darts at the busy builder. who repels al
attack by loud and angry twitterings., So
passes the long summer day. / have Kept
account Of their goings and oomings, and
have timed them during one half hour to
every two minutes.
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