44 OUR NATIVE BIRDS 
tribute a number of large flower pot saucers in the 
garden and in the groves. No bird basin should be 
glazed. If you wish a larger basin, construct one of 
wood or of corrugated tin about 2 x 3 feet, and 3 
inches deep in the middle. Nail thin laths to the in- 
side of the wooden basin about 2 inches apart. Stand 
these basins in a suitable excavation, or place a stone 
or small block of wood under each corner to make them 
stand firm, or a small support may be fixed below each 
corner. ‘The water in such saucers and basins should 
be renewed every evening about sunset or early in the 
morning. From time to time they must be thoroughly 
cleaned. Boys and girls have plenty of time to attend 
to these basins, which in dry weather should be set out 
as soon as the birds arrive in spring. This is as nec- 
essary in cities as in the country, because we often have 
several weeks of dry weather during which the birds 
arrive and when lawn sprinklers are not yet used. 
A German writer, Otto Voigt, recommends floating 
basins for tanks, ponds, large park basins, and streams 
that offer no suitable sand or gravel banks. Such a 
floating basin is constructed of willow, roots, or twigs ; 
its margin projects above the water and the depth of 
the water is regulated by cork or wood floats attached 
so as to make it from 1 to 3 inches deep. Common. 
plasterers’ laths or old wash baskets will serve well for 
the construction of such floating basins. They should 
be anchored near protecting trees or shrubs. From 
time to time they must be cleaned of slime and alge. 
Artificial bird basins cannot be well used in very 
