950 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Canada geese, and water-fowl not previously mentioned) are protected through the year. 

 Forfeit, ten dollars for each offence. 



The State constabulary, mayor and alderman and selectmen of the several cities and 

 towns of the Commonwealth shall cause the provisions of this law to be enforced in their 

 respective places; and all forfeitures accruing under these sections shall be paid, one-half to 

 the informant or prosecutor, and one-half to the city or town where the offence is 

 committed. 



In itself, perhaps, no fault can be found with this law. It is only because it is not 

 properly executed that it falls short of accomplishing its object. In the neighborhood of the 

 large cities, it doubtless prevents some injury to birds: but in the small country towns we 

 think it is very rarely that an arrest is made; and the selectmen are quite apt to look the 

 other way to save the trouble of interfering with a neighbor or townsman. We have repeatedly 

 seen strings of ruffed grouse, containing some dozens, which had been taken in abominable 

 snares, being sent in to the Boston market from the small towns of Massachusetts. We 

 believe it is still a common practice with many boys to make collections of birds eggs, and 

 to take not one egg only, but the whole nest, eggs and all, and shoot the parent birds, too, if 

 possible. It is difficult to say how such things may best be prevented; but much good would 

 be done, we are confident, if the selectmen would take the trouble to hunt up and punish a 

 few cases wliich should serve as an example to others. Parents and teachers also may do 

 much by way of precept and example, and right-minded boys may do their part by 

 influencing their companions to abandon so cruel a practice. 



Bird Houses. Next to the law, the most important measure for the protection of 

 birds is the putting up of accommodations for them, and thus inducing them to settle on our 

 estates. There is no reason why every one who has a half -acre of land should not have two 



or three pairs of birds nesting thereon. Perhaps 

 many do not realize what simple accommodations 

 swallows, bluebirds, wrens, and other birds, are 

 eager to avail themselves of. Simple and inexpen 

 sive arrangements are just as satisfactory to them 

 as the most elegant and costly ornamental houses; 

 and no one need be prevented by fear of expense 

 from furnishing dwelling-houses, rent free, to these 

 interesting tenants. With a few simple tools and a 

 box or two which any grocer will give you, a bird- 

 house may be made of almost any size or shape 

 desired. Should you wish it highly ornamental, 

 nothing is better than to cover it with rustic-work, 

 which may be done with the aid of a wild grape 

 vine cut in pieces of the 

 right length and nailed on. 

 Such a bird -house costs little 

 or nothing save the time 

 required to make it; and 

 the slight expense will be 

 amply repaid by the satis 

 faction of doing a good 

 deed. 



There are many simple 

 contrivances which maybe 

 prepared and put up in five 

 minutes, and will serve the 

 birds as well as anything 

 else. At the opening of the , 



present season we put up four tin cans, such as are used for canning 

 tomatoes, having first filed a small hole in the lower end to prevent 

 the collection of water. Three of the four were immediately occu 

 pied by bluebirds. One pair laid five eggs, four of which hatched, 

 and the young grew to maturity. The other two pairs each had two 

 broods, four eggs to each brood, and all hatched ; but three of the 

 young died before growing up. Seventeen young bluebirds and 

 their parents, six in number, twenty-three insect-eating birds, were 

 thus induced to make their home in our orchard, the parent birds 



