marked contrast to th e white of the belly, anal region, and under tail-coverts. He adds : “ Six
Cuban and two Floridan specimens of this well-marked species are before me. The adult females
and immature males (of which tbere are four from Cuba and two from Florida in the N. M.
collection—th e latter from Cape Florida and Clearwater) are exceedingly distinct in plumage from
those of P. subis [i. e., P.purpurea\. I n fact, they resemble so closely corresponding plumages
of P. dominicensis, th a t I am unable to state how they can be distinguished.” In th e face of
this strong testimony from the pen of so great an authority as Mr. Ridgway, we can only suppose
th a t we have not yet had a specimen of the true P. cryptoleuca before us. A specimen sent by
Mr. Scott as the hen of P . cryptoleuca from Tarpon Springs, and procured by him on the 17th
of April, is identical with the female bird from TIalfday, Illinois, in the British Museum.
Hab. North America, not ranging into the extreme north, but generally distributed. Wintering in
South America.
T h e Purple Martin is widely distributed over North America, but does not go so far
north as some of the other Swallows. It does not find a place in the different works on
the ornithology of. Alaska. Professor Coues says that “ The breeding-range of tbe
species coincides with the whole distribution in North America wherever suitable
nesting-places can be found, and tbe bird is, moreover, resident in some portions. Our
birds are known to come over the border very early in the spring or in February, and
gradually spread over the country, reaching the highest latitudes by the middle or latter
part of May. Such early appearance subjects them to painful vicissitudes of the weather,
large numbers having been known to perish in sudden storms or cold snaps.”
Dr. C. Hart Merriam, writing on the migration of birds in the spring of 1884, refers
to the present species as follows :—“ Tho common Purple Martin is a species by which to
trace migration, for it is well known and widely distributed, and its habit of occupying
boxes erected for its use in towns and villages renders its movements far easier of
observation than in the case of forost-dxvelling birds. In winter the Martin visits South
America, but the last of the fall migrants rarely leave our southern border before
December. Returniug, the advance guard usually enters the Gulf States towards the latter
part of February. During March, the great army arrives and spreads over the whole of
the Southern States, the van appearing in many parts of Virginia, Kentucky, Southern
Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, some enterprising individuals reaching even as far north
as latitude 40°. I f not retarded by cold, the first week of April finds them pushing
swiftly northward, and by the end of the month they have distributed themselves over
nearly the whole of the United States east of the Hocky Mountains, aud are already
common in some parts of Canada. The exact time of their appearance at any given
locality in the Northern States varies as much as two weeks from year to year. During
rhe spring of 1884 they were recorded from "VVater Valley, Miss., March 1 ; Gainesville,
Texas, March 5 ; Caddo, Indian Territory, aud Newport, Arkansas, Marcli 9 ; St. Louis,
Mo., March 24 ; Manhattan, Kansas, March 25 ; Southern Iowa, March 30. Duriug
April they move through Northern Illinois and parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota,
arriving at latitude 45° about the end of the month. May 19 they reached Portage la
Prairie, iu Manitoba. East of the Mississippi Valley they were seen in Jessamine
County, Kentucky, March 18; at Buffalo, West Virginia, March 22; Camden, Indiana,
March 28; New Lexington, Pa., April 16; Columbus, Ohio, April 15; Niagara Falls,
April 18; Auburn, New York, April 20; BeUeville, Ontario, April 22; Ottawa, Canada,
April 27. In New England the returns show them at Saybrook, Conn., April 19;
Greenfield, 5Iass., April 27; Mooschead Lake, Maine, April 23. Tliey were seen at
St. Johns, New Brunswick, May 2; Chatham, N.B. (Mirimichi Bay, facing the Gulf of
St. Lawrence), May 10; and at Cape Breton Island, north of Nova Scotia, June 1.
“ Turning now to the other side of the Continent, their progress is found to have
been much affected by the unfavourable weather. In California Mr. L. Belding has
records from San Diego, April 28; Stockton, March 1 ; Marysville, March 17 ; Poway,
May 1; San Jos6, May 3 ; Olema, May 8 ; and Chico, May 22.”
Sir John Richardson states that tbe Purple Martin arrives within the Arctic Circle
earlier than any other of its tribe; it makes its first appearance at Great Bear Lake on
the 17tli of May, at which time the snow stiU partially covers the ground, and the
rivers and lakes are still fast bound in ice. The late Captain Blakiston records the
species from tho Porks of the Saskatchewan on the 11th of May, 1858.
Mr. Emest Thompson sends us the following note “ The Purple Martin arrives in
Manitoba about the 15th of May, frequenting the half-open country in much tiie sami;
degree as tbe White-breasted Swallows, but also manifesting a strong liking for town-life,
for in Winnipeg aud Portage la Prairie it is a very abundant bird. When it nests thus
in towns it selects for occupation any convenient crevice or cavity about a building,
caring only that it be well away from tbe ground, but the majority of those we see
during the summer have their homes in some deserted Woodpecker-hole. On the banks
of tho Pembina River, near Pelican Lake, I found a small colony of Martins inhabiting
a scattered grove of old and dying scrub oaks. In most instances the Martins wero
indebted to the friendly offices of the Golden-winged Woodpecker for their homesteads.
This was on the 17th of May, aud the birds had apparently arrived but recently. By the
third week in August the species usually has disappeared from the ‘ Big Plain.’ ”
The same gentleman has also kindly sent the following note on the distribution of
the species iu Canada :—
“ Distribution in Ontario :
“ London and vicinity. Common in every city, town, and generally every village
through Western Ontario. A few pairs breeding and scattered through the
country, probably iu hollow trees, as I find old and young together banging
about some dead trees (TF. E. Saunders).
“ Hyde Park. Summer resident {John A . Morden).
“ Listoicel. Common in town ( TV. L . Kells).
“ Hatchley. Occurs ( W. Yates).
'^Hamilton. The Purple Martin arrives in Southern Ontario about the 10th of