No. 4.] BIRD HOUSES AND NESTING BOXES. 215 



such virulence that it ought to be systematically attacked and 

 destroyed." ^ 



Von Berlepsch rates it as one of the few birds which must be 

 destroyed at the Ornithological Experiment Station at Seebach. ^ 



Although the sparrow, like most birds that live with man, is 

 beneficial at times, most expert testimony is against it. In 

 view of a multitude of requests for information regarding the 

 means for destroying it, a bulletin on the subject has been 

 issued by the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture as 

 Circular No. 48. 



Since this circular was written Mr. William F. DeMerrit, 

 bird warden of the town of Dover, has shown me a box that 

 will be extremely useful where sparrows are 

 very troublesome. The front is a door hinged 

 by two nails driven in on either side near the 

 bottom. It is provided with a hasp and catch 

 such as are used to fasten the doors of book- 

 cases, and can be opened in a moment and 

 closed as quickly. This is a time-saving device 

 for the use of those who have to inspect fiq. 32. - pian for 



- „ , 1 . • . ^^^^^ opening. 



many boxes irequently to evjct sparrows or 

 squirrels (Fig. 32). 



> Barrows, W. B.: "The English sparrow in North America," U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Ec. 

 Ornith., and Mam. Bull. No. 1. 



' Hiesmann, Martin: " How to attract and protect wild birds," translated by Emma S. Buck- 

 heim, 1912, p. 92. 



