18 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [7:1— Jan., 1911 



are found in the cavities that the birds excavate for themselves. 

 I have seen a lively contention between a red-headed woodpecker 

 and a golden winged one, as to who should possess one of these 

 boxes. The contest was renewed on several occasions before the 

 redhead retired from the field. There are other birds beside 

 woodpeckers that supply no nesting material. They, I feel sure, 

 will find these boxes equally satisfactory. In fact, a pair of 

 sparrow hawks occupied one in our front yard and successfully 

 reared their family the past summer. Neither woodpeckers or 

 sparrow hawks, so far as I can learn, had ever before been known 

 to occupy artificial nesting sites. 



These boxes have been so readily received by the birds in 

 our grove, that I feel the greatest confidence in recommending 

 them to the public. I hope that they will be tried by bird lovers 

 generally over a wide stretch of country, and under various con- 

 ditions, next season, and that the results may be reported in 

 "Nature-Study Review." 



In closing, a word of suggestion. Where the ground cork is 

 not available, try sawdust. It would seem that there is no reason 

 why it should not be as good. The nesting material is the essen- 

 tial thing, although the depth of cavity, and the situation of the 

 box will have much to do with the success of the experiment. 

 Although we have used only weathered lumber, making boxes 

 look as much like dead wood as possible, it migght be well to try 

 painted ones also. Possibly the birds may have no objection to 

 up-to-date houses with paint and furbelows. 



