AIDS TO NESTING 215 



phoebe, barn swallow. Besides these, unfortunately, the 

 imported English sparrow and European starling occupy 

 boxes and drive away useful native birds. They should not 

 be allowed to nest on the premises. 



Standardizing Boxes. Knowing what kinds of birds 

 there are which may accept our hospitality, the next thing 

 is to make or secure boxes to meet their various preferences. 

 A great variety of patterns have been used. Boxes for 

 birds made by schools often show about every imaginable 

 style. While it is true that birds of the various species do 

 not insist upon any one particular model, they all evidently 

 have certain lines of preference which it is important to 

 follow. Hence in making each box it is well to have in 

 mind at least some class or type of bird that it is intended 

 for. To do this intelligently one should have some idea of 

 what these various types prefer. It is safer to build on 

 plans which birds are known to accept, rather than to try 

 all sorts of new things. There would be a further advantage 

 in standardizing boxes and having their appearance familiar 

 to birds, that generations born in boxes of similar type 

 might be expected to form the habit more strongly and recog- 

 nize and adopt more regularly the nests prepared for them. 



A Standard Type. After careful investigation and study 

 of the subject, I would suggest as the most feasible type, all 

 things considered, a simple rectangle of plain boards, with 

 the roof sloping toward the front, or else level, and projecting 

 out a little to shelter the entrance-hole. Gable roofs and 

 various fancy fixings are not only unnecessary but unnatural 

 in their surroundings, and would seem more likely than simple 

 models to repel timid species, though it might not make any 

 difference. While it is not necessary to paint them, paint- 

 ing will make them last much longer. A dull green colour 

 is most generally used, or a brown stain. 



