142 METHODS OF ATTRACTING BIRDS 



taken down, as soon as it is evident that no other 

 bird is going to use the house. Of course kill- 

 ing the sparrows cannot be recommended to the 

 children. Whatever is done in this line must be 

 left to the adults. 



If the school building is favorably located, 

 houses should be put up in the school-yard. 

 These should be of types adapted to the different 

 species of birds, so as to attract as many kinds as 

 possible. If these are occupied, opportunity will 

 be furnished the whole school for bird-study. 



It would be well worth while to see if the park 

 boards would not cooperate with the schools, so 

 that the children might make a large number of 

 houses and place them in the parks. In the spring 

 of 1906 such a plan was tried in Jackson and 

 Washington parks, Chicago, the children making 

 several hundred bluebird and wren houses. 



If the children's bird-houses at home are occu- 

 pied, they should be encouraged to make frequent 

 reports on what they observe. The children should 

 be strongly cautioned not to examine the houses 

 closely after the birds once begin to build, be- 

 cause they are easily frightened away. The teacher 

 should not ask for any observations which require 

 a close examination of the house during this 

 period. After the young are hatched, the box may 

 be inspected more closely, but the young should 



