NESTING-HOUSES 51 



©r mortar may be modeled in the shape of the 

 nest and placed on the floor of the house. 



Houses made after the model of those used 

 in Germany would certainly give much promise 

 of success. They should be made of sections of 

 limbs or small tree-trunks. These may be easily 

 split and the inside hollowed out in the proper 

 shape, and then the pieces fastened together 

 again. The size of the cavity and the entrance 

 hole must depend upon the species for which the 

 box is intended, the hole varying from an inch 

 and a quarter for the downy to three and a quarter 

 inches for the flicker. The largest internal dia- 

 meter of the cavity just before it begins to taper 

 toward the bottom should be from two and a half 

 to three times the diameter of the entrance hole. 



To furnish the slight amount of material found 

 in the woodpecker's nest for the eggs to rest on, 

 there may be placed in the bottom a little of a 

 mixture of earth and sawdust, the amount depend- 

 ing on the size of the box. To prevent rain from 

 beating into the box, it should be fastened verti- 

 cally, or with the upper end leaning in the direc- 

 tion of the opening, and the opening should face 

 away from the direction of the prevailing storms. 



Nuthatches. — The nuthatches become so tame 

 during the winter while seeking food that may be 



