A Plea for the Birds 311 



hard up for a home before he will move into a house 

 that is subject to the gaze of every passer-by. 

 Fancy birdhouses are unnecessary. A house 

 simple in line and weatherproof in construction 

 will be all that is necessary in considering the 

 requirements. A house with cracks through which 

 the cold wind and rain can seep will be likely to 

 cause the death of a bird while he would not suffer 

 from exposure in the open air. The reason is that 

 cracks create drafts and a draft will chill a 

 bird, giving him a cold and probably resulting in 

 pneumonia. 



A pool of water is one of the surest ways of 

 attracting birds to a garden. They often fly 

 many miles before they come to a pool, a brook, 

 or a river, and if a bath is discovered on the way, 

 they will probably stop and take up their abode 

 somewhere in the neighborhood. A bird bath 

 may be as fancy or as plain as one's taste may dic- 

 tate, but it should always be placed in a spot 

 where the birds will feel that they are out of range 

 of curious, prying eyes. During the summer the 

 birds can take care of themselves with regard to 

 food but during the winter months it will be neces- 

 sary in certain sections of the country where snow 

 covers the ground to provide food for them. A 

 feeding house consisting only of a box nailed to a 



