Of wild animals, Red Squirrels are far the most destructive to young- birds and 

 eggs ; Chipmunks and Grays are also destructive but not nearly as active or im- 

 pudent as the Eeds. Skunks, Foxes and Weasels are smaller factors in the 

 decrease of bird life. 



Birds of prey have but little to do with the question of bird protection for, 

 with a few exceptions, they rarely feed upon other birds, and nearly all of them 

 are of considerable economic value themselves. Jays, Crows and Crackles, by 

 devouring- the eggs and young of our smaller birds, are a far greater menace than 

 are the birds of prey, but even these have their work and should be left in the 

 place that Nature intended for them ; they should, however, be taught to keep 

 away from the neighborhood of houses. 



How Can We Attract Birds About Our Homes ?— Many birds prefer to live in 

 the vicinity of houses, and they soon learn where they are welcome. Keep your 

 premises as free as possible from cats, dogs, and especially English Sparrows, and 

 other birds will come. Eobins, Orioles, Kingbirds, Waxwings and a few others 

 will nest in orchard trees, while in dead limbs or bird boxes will be found Blue- 

 birds, Wrens, Swallows, Woodpeckers, Chickadees, etc. 



A house for Purple Martins may contain many apartments ; it should be 

 erected in an open space, on a ten or twelve foot pole. Boxes for other birds sliGuld 

 have but one compartment, and should be about six by six by eight inches, with a 

 hole at least one and one-half inches in diameter in one side ; these can be f as- 



10 



