THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF INSECT FATING BIRDS. 



Although here and there in this countrN' those 

 who are fond of birds have furnished them with 

 nesting sites, whicli is an important point in these 

 days when it is not eas\' f(>r many species that build 



find accommodation, ^•et 



reneral 



m holes to 



attempt has been made as in some other countries 

 definiteh' to encourage insect - eating birds, 



which are specially use- 

 ful to those who are en- 

 gaged in growing crops. 



Figure 1. 



The parts of a box made from a log so arranged 

 that the top lifts off. 



The Brent \'alley Bird Sanctuary Committee 

 have sho\\n what can be done in the way of 

 protecting birds on the borders of London, 

 and with a view to making the mo\'ement in 

 favour of attracting birds more general, they have 

 introduced and are showing at various exhibitions 



<.)f nesting sites with 



The nesting sites made from 

 used with great effect in the Sanct 

 that in gardens and near 

 houses it might be advis- 

 able to use materials 

 which are more natural 

 and less suggestive of 

 a trap. The ordinary 

 boxes made from lo.tjs 



details of their construction. 



boards have been 



•. but it seems 



Figure 2. 



The parts of a nesting site in which the centre 

 of the log can be drawn oat. 



of which the tops come off. can easily be erected on 

 posts, and are suitable for wrens and tits when the\- 

 have a small opening, and for robins when the 

 aperture is a little bigger. The latter birds some- 

 times prefer a liox with an open front, and this is the 

 case with fl\catchers. \'arious boxes have been 



Figure 3. Figure 4. 



Two simple forms of open nesting bo.xes for birds which do not care to build in complete darkness, 



but which like protection from the rain. 



a number of new designs for nesting boxes. 

 The Chairman of the Committee has contributed 

 an article on the subject to The Country Hume 

 for March, and here and on the opposite page we 

 give illustrations of some of the more important kinds 



designed for their benefit (see Figures 3 and 4), and a 

 moctitication of Figure 2 of which the upper half of 

 the front of the movable piece has been cut right away. 

 All particulars can be obtained from the Secretary of 

 the Selborne Societv, at 42, Bloomsbury Square, W.C. 



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