DEPENDABLE BIRD HOUSES 



decorative eaves spread out to protect from beating 

 rains. When using smaller receptacles on the gal- 

 lon paint keg order for the bird homes to be ten- 

 anted by but one family the thatch may be brought 

 down over the sides, to nearly cover the small keg. 

 Two rows of roping, one at the apex and one 

 near the eaves, will keep the thatch secure. The 

 birds will cleverly show their delight in the house 

 while sitting on the circular platform beneath the 

 overhanging straw and pouring forth their songs of 

 rapture, and the garden craftsman will realize that 

 the really appropriate and most pleasing bird houses 

 are those which best fit the requirements of the 

 tenants. 



In the gardens of suburban Chicago it is the rule 

 rather than the exception to find decorative bird 

 houses set on extremely high poles. They some- 

 times reach the height of the tree tops both in gar- 

 den groves and among the country seats near park 

 sections. In one instance a tall tree standing at 

 some distance from others was bared of its branches, 

 instead of being cut down, when it began to decay, 

 and a many-storied bird box was perched high on 

 the tall trunk. The prevalence of squirrels furnishes 

 the reason for placing the nests in these situations, 

 and even then the supports require extra protec- 

 tion, in the way of zinc or wooden barriers, to keep 



10 145 



