230 PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



birds often roost in boxes and give the impression they are 

 nesting there. The number occupied was doubtless con- 

 siderable, mostly by bluebirds and wrens. Flickers and 

 redheaded woodpeckers used the boxes on trees. In gen- 

 eral woodpeckers are said to prefer the tree location so they 

 can readily climb to the nest. The wrens nested almost 

 anywhere, but the bluebirds, when there was a choice of 

 boxes, one on a tree, the other on a post, regularly selected 

 the latter. 



The one pair of crested flycatchers which occupied a box 

 on the place chose one at the top of the pole, I should say 

 20 feet from the ground. This was close to Mr. Ford's 

 bungalow, which was well surrounded by groves. Here 

 again the birds had a further choice — a board-made rec- 

 tangular bluebird box at the top of the pole and a Von Ber- 

 lepsch model just below it on the same pole. They chose 

 the board box. 



A good method of erecting a box on a pole is given by 

 Mr. Forbush. A fence-post is used as a base. Holes are 

 drilled, and the pole is bolted to the post by two lag-screws. 

 To take down the box for cleaning, the lower screw or bolt 

 can be withdrawn, and the other used as a pivot on which 

 to lower pole and house, which is similar to the plan de- 

 scribed for martin houses. 



Direction of Entrance. The entrance should face away 

 from the prevailing direction of storms. Most of the long, 

 cold storms are from the northeast. The summer squalls 

 and thunder showers blow from west and northwest. A 

 generally southerly exposure is proper, say from southeast 

 to southwest. Some prefer the former, to prevent the 

 afternoon sun from beating in, if the box is not partly shaded 

 from the westerly side. This latter is probably not im- 

 portant, but it does make a difference when it comes to 



