9 



early in the year by removing the nesting material from the box 

 several times a week. For this purpose a plethora of boxes 

 must be used and each box must be easily accessible and must 

 have an opening by means of which the nest may be taken out 

 with little trouble. Fig. 1 shows how such a box may be at- 

 tached to the inner wall of a barn or other building, where it 

 may be quickly opened from within the building and the nest- 

 ing material removed; or boxes having hinged projecting covers 

 which will shut out rain may be put up on poles or trees. 

 (Fig. 2.) In my own experience success has followed the prac- 

 tice of removing the eggs from the nests after the full set has 

 been deposited in each case, and continuing this at intervals of 

 fifteen days. When the nest is removed the sparrows usually 

 begin to rebuild immediately, but when the eggs are taken, 

 after incubation begins, the birds soon become discouraged, and 

 when they leave the nest should be removed, after which na- 

 tive birds may occupy the box.. A stream of water from the 

 garden hose is very effective in evicting sparrows under some 

 circumstances. If used on cold or frosty nights, after the spar- 

 rows have retired, it will drive them from their nests or roosting 

 places in bird houses, or on vine-clad walls, where they consti- 

 tute a nuisance. If one application is not enough it may be 

 repeated at intervals of a few days. In wet weather, when fire- 

 works can be used with safety, small Roman candles are rec- 

 ommended as an effective form of night bombardment. Spar- 

 rows do not appreciate fireworks. If some of the sparrows are 

 killed or captured when they are disturbed this persecution will 

 have a more permanent effect. 



Trapping Sparrows. 

 There are many contrivances for catching sparrows on the 

 nest, some of which are given in the bulletins of the Biological 

 Survey hereinbefore cited, but a deep hoop net on the end of a 

 pole may be used to catch them by placing it over the entrance 

 of the nesting box and driving the sparrow into it. Mr. Ernest 

 Thompson Seton fastens a flat lever on the outside of a nesting 

 box by fixing a nail or screw in the center, so that when a 

 string attached to its outer end is pulled the inner end rises 

 and closes the entrance hole, thus entrapping the nesting 



