NESTING-HOUSES 57 



of mud are set in easily accessible but protected 

 places, they may be found and used by these birds. 



Feeding Young Birds 



Many opportunities will occur in which some 

 care must be given to young birds just out of the 

 nest, either to protect them from cats or to furnish 

 them with food. Occasionally wounded birds will 

 be found, or nestlings forsaken by their parents, 

 in which case it will be necessary to take entire 

 care of the birds and feed them till they are able 

 to look out for themselves. In a great many more 

 cases, however, one will find young birds just 

 learning to fly and unable to escape the clutches of 

 the cat. This is one of the most critical periods in 

 the life of the nestlings in this cat-ridden country. 

 In such cases as these, which will be of frequent 

 occurrence, it is necessary to protect the birds for 

 a few days till they can fly, but in such a way that 

 they can still be fed by the parents. The follow* 

 ing plan is suggested in "Bird-Lore" by Elizabeth 

 A. Reed : 



"Mr. 0. A. Stemple of Clearwater, Florida, 

 has evolved a scheme which promises to save many 

 young birds if bird-lovers will only put it in prac- 

 tice. It is simply this : Catch the young birds and 

 put them into a clean flour-barrel standing in the 

 shade of a tree near enough to the house to be easily 



