44 OUR NATIVE BIRDS 



tribute a number of large flower pot saucers in the 

 garden and in the groves. No bird basin should be 

 glazed. If you wish a larger basin, construct one of 

 wood or of corrugated tin about 2x3 feet, and 3 

 inches deep in the middle. Nail thin laths to the in- 

 side of the wooden basin about 2 inches apart. Stand 

 these basins in a suitable excavation, or place a stone 

 or small block of wood under each corner to make them 

 stand firm, or a small support may be fixed below each 

 corner. The water in such saucers and basins should 

 be renewed every evening about sunset or early in the 

 morning. From time to time they must be thoroughly 

 cleaned. Boys and girls have plenty of time to attend 

 to these basins, which in dry weather should be set out 

 as soon as the birds arrive in spring. This is as nec- 

 essary in cities as in the country, because we often have 

 several weeks of dry weather during which the birds 

 arrive and when lawn sprinklers are not yet used. 



A German writer, Otto Voigt, recommends floating 

 basins for tanks, ponds, large park basins, and streams 

 that offer no suitable sand or gravel banks. Such a 

 floating basin is constructed of willow, roots, or twigs ; 

 its margin projects above the water and the depth of 

 the water is regulated by cork or wood floats attached 

 so as to make it from 1 to 3 inches deep. Common 

 plasterers' laths or old wash baskets will serve well for 

 the construction of such floating basins. They should 

 be anchored near protecting trees or shrubs. From 

 time to time they must be cleaned of slime and algse. 

 Artificial bird basins cannot be well used in very 



