if it is so situated that it offers peace and safety. Never- 

 theless, there are a few rules that it is best to follow in 

 making and erecting bird houses to secure the best results : — 



1. Let the roof be made tight and overhang the entrance 

 enough to carry rain clear and keep the sun from shining in 

 on the young. 



2. Do not make the bottom of the box too tight. If any 

 rain drives in it should run out. 



3. If the box tips forward a little on the side of the entrance 

 hole when set in place it will shed rain well. It should never 

 lean backward. 



4. Provide a way of opening the box quickly unless you 

 intend to burn it and replace it after the first season, as is done 

 sometimes with gourds and shingle or bark boxes. 



5. Make the entrance hole and the box itself just large 

 enough for the bird you want — no larger. This will tend to 

 keep out larger birds, as well as the birds' enemies, will give the 

 bird a better chance to defend its home, and will save material. 



6. Make nesting boxes of weathered wood, or paint or stain 

 them with colored linseed oil of a neutral tint resembling dead 

 wood or bark, or put them up in the fall that they may be- 

 come weather-stained before spring. Apparently birds are less 

 suspicious of such boxes than of those made of new, bright 

 lumber. 



7. Fix nesting boxes on buildings or on poles rather than on 

 trees, and make them inaccessible to cats, squirrels, mice and 

 rats. 



8. Where it seems best to put them in trees, choose isolated 

 trees which can be protected against cats, squirrels, weasels, 

 etc. 



9. Ordinarily ventilation is unnecessary if the entrance is 

 near the top of the box as it should be, but in very hot sum- 

 mers young birds are believed to have died of heat in unshaded 

 boxes mounted on poles. Ventilation may be provided by 

 boring 4 half-inch holes in the sides of the box near the top 

 and filling them with corks which may be removed in extremely 

 hot weather. 



A few practical details in regard to carrying out some of the 

 above rules should be noted. 



