NESTING-BOXES 225 



trees were uninjured. A similar effect was noticed in 

 the orchards. At Seebach the trees always escaped 

 the devastation of insects, while the neighboring 

 orchards frequently suffered from their attacks. 



To the parent and teacher, attracting birds has 

 a special interest on account of the relation of this 

 work to child life. Children are naturally interested 

 in bird life and especially enjoy making bird-houses. 

 This kind of work has a beneficial effect on children, 

 because it teaches a sort of care, a sense of responsi- 

 bility for those birds which their efforts have brought 

 around the house. 



And, lastly, to every citizen interested in furthering 

 the conservation of the resources of the country this 

 work appeals. It does not follow that one need to 

 be especially familiar with the birds in order to be 

 interested in this line of work, if one but appreciates 

 the value of bird life and the need of conserving it. 

 Some of the bird clubs recently organized have been 

 formed by people who know very few birds, but who 

 are interested in doing something for the welfare of 

 the community in which they live. 



Need of nesting-boxes. With the rapid increase 

 of population in our cities and towns and their cor- 

 responding growth countryward, orchards, decaying 

 trees, shrubbery, and other nesting-sites are steadily 

 disappearing. As a result, in the suburbs of cities 

 birds that nest in cavities find it difficult to obtain 

 suitable nesting-sites, and as the old sites are cut 



