584 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



/f-v? 



Fig. 4. lumber diagram of food shelter shown 

 in figure 1. 



place as in another. The eastern 

 phcebe, the black phcebe, and the 

 house finch, while not limited to the 

 haunts of man, are noticeably partial 

 to them. Crested flycatchers, screech 

 owls, barn owls, and sparrow hawks are 

 governed more by convenience than by 

 taste; although normally inclined to 

 hold aloof from man, they have in many 

 instances reared their broods in close 

 proximity to dwellings. Barn owls, 

 true to their name, accept suitable 

 quarters in buildings without hesitation. 

 Before erecting bird houses one should 

 first determine the kind of birds to 

 which his premises are adapted. The 

 question usually next arising is as to 

 the number of birds that can be accom- 

 modated. Unless grounds are large, it 

 is generally useless to expect as tenants 

 more than a pair of each species, except 

 martins. However, the singular in- 

 tolerance shown by most birds during 

 the breeding season to others of their 

 kind does not operate between those 

 of different species. A dozen different 

 kinds of birds will pursue their several 

 modes of hunting and raise their 

 families on the same lot, but rarely 

 two of the same sort. The fact that 



birds are more tolerant toward strangers 

 than toward relatives was well illus- 

 trated by an observation made recently 

 by the writer in New Mexico. A one- 

 story tool house 10 feet square had 

 nailed to three corners of its roof rough 

 bird houses made from packing boxes. 

 One was occupied by violet-green swal- 

 lows, another by western blue birds, 

 and the third by English sparrows. A 

 still more remarkable association of 

 different species has been reported by 

 Otto Widmann, of St. Louis, Mo., who 

 once had a pair each of flickers, martins, 

 house wrens, and English sparrows 

 nesting simultaneously in the same 







Fig. 5. food shelter for attachment 

 to post, roof cut away to show con- 

 struction, sides made of glass; size 

 of panes 8 by 10 inches. 





