SANCTUARY 281 



ately, and when, at last, they do settle on the place 

 for a nest, frequently the site proves to have been 

 ill chosen? There's a reason for that, my boy. 

 It is not because the birds have poor judgment, 

 but because that there are few good nesting sites 

 to be found. 



* ' The birds which suffer the most are those who 

 make their nests in holes in trees. As you know 

 well, Shan, it takes a big tree and an old tree 

 and a dead tree to be suitable for chipping out 

 holes or to have holes which have resulted from de- 

 cay. When lumber companies exploit a forest, 

 they cut down all the big trees for timber. Smaller 

 trees are cut for telegraph poles or for fence posts. 

 Trees that have become decayed soon fall, which 

 leaves the forest without big trees gradually to 

 come to death and decay. Only spindling second 

 groAvth timber remains. Little by little the pos- 

 sible nesting sites dwindle down until they are all 

 gone and the birds have to take unsuitable and pre- 

 carious places. When you remember that all the 

 eastern part of the United States has been cut 

 over, Shan, you can realize that hollow tree nest- 

 ing sites must be rare. 



"The Biological Survey has given a good deal 

 of attention to this problem, for the forests 



