1914] 



The Ottawa Naturalist. 



167 



was round and the inside square. 

 The fourth side is made of a flat piece 

 of wood forming the back of the box; 

 this piece is longer than the other sides 

 and projects above and below the box, 

 thus providing means of attaching the 

 box to the tree (see Fig. 2 ). The top and 

 bottom of the box may be made of slab 

 wood. Several holes should be bored in 

 the bottom, which is nailed on, to keep 

 the nest dry. The top is hinged to the 

 back board and Avhen in use is fastened 

 down by means of a screw, which permits 

 the lid to be opened for the purpose of 

 cleaning out the old nests. By so utili- 

 zing waste lumber, these boxes were 

 made verv cheaplv at the sawmill. A 

 boy could readilv make similar boxes. 

 Plate XXI shows such a box in use. In 

 the first vear (1908) 60 boxes were distri- 

 buted and 31 per cent, were occupied. 

 The number of boxes was increased 

 vearly until in 1911 there were 347 boxes, 

 of which 66 per cent, were occupied.* 

 I am informed that in 1913, 75 per cent. 

 of the boxes were occupied. In addition 

 to the provision of nesting boxes, feeding houses of the Hessian 

 type (Plate XXII) were erected for the purpose of feeding the 

 birds in the winter 



In addition to the provision of nesting places for those 

 birds nesting in cavities and hollow places, the protection of 

 birds involves the carrying out of other measures also. For 

 birds nesting on or near the ground piles of logs or brushwood 

 may be left in sheltered places and thickets of closely growing 

 shrubs and vines permitted to remain here and there. Piled 

 logs will also provide shelter for many birds during inclement 

 weather. While most of our birds leave us during the winter, 



Fig.l 



Nesting Box Made of Slab-wood . 

 Ready for Hanging. 



For furtlv. r particulars and illustrations see Buil. 10; Second Series of 

 the Experimental Farms. Dept., Agric, Canada, entitled "The 

 Large Larch Saw Fly." 



The B rl psch X< sting Box* s in various sizes may be obtained from the 

 Royal Society for the Protect] I I Birds. 23 Queen Anne's Gate, 

 London, S.W., England, who will gladly furnish a price list; or 

 from 'he manufacturer: Hermann Scheid, Bvmn. Westphalia, 

 1 >' rmany. 



