No. 4.] DECREASE OF BIRDS. 533 



entrances underneath, and without perches, believing that 

 the sparrows will not enter them. The expermient might 

 be worth trying, for every promising means should be used 

 to entice migrating martins to remain and breed. Every 

 householder suitably located should put up at least one 

 small martin-box on a pole not less than twenty feet high. 

 Then, whenever the martins north or south of Massachu- 

 setts have a good breeding season, we shall be ready to 

 take care of the overflow. 



Barn swallows may be fostered by keeping the old-fash- 

 ioned barns and sheds open (or at least one open window in 

 each). Round or rough-hewn rafters furnish supporting 

 points for their nests. Small blocks nailed up on mod- 

 ern squared rafters, or slats nailed across them, will assist 

 these swallows in building. The eave swallows may be 

 hel})ed by nailing a rough board on the outside of the 

 building, about a foot below where the eaves or jet meet 

 the wall. The only nest of this species that I saw in Bris- 

 tol County last year was built on the ledge over the door of 

 a painted barn. 



Tree swallows need no assistance beyond being supplied 

 with an abundance of small nesting-boxes, widely separated 

 and put up on poles or trees. If the English sparrow can be 

 kept away from the nesting-boxes, the swallows will breed 

 well. 



We may help the house wren a little by putting up small 

 nesting boxes with the entrance hole no larger than a silver 

 quarter. The small size of the entrance probably will serve 

 to keep out the sparrow. 



The mourning dove is now fully protected by law, at all 

 times, in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, 

 Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Dela- 

 ware, the District of Columbia and Virginia. In the other 

 Atlantic Coast States it is still on the game list. On one 

 occasion in 1904 in Concord I saw twelve birds flying up a 

 meadow. A single shot was fired at them by some one, and 

 the flock came back ; hut then! were only eleven birds re- 

 maining. The laws which protect this species at all times 

 are comparatively recent, and are not as yet generally known 



