Nesting Boxes 



The Birch 

 Bark Box 



for an entrance. Tree pruning is a chief cause of the scarcity 



of certain birds in some localities. When hollow limbs are 



cut off they may be cut up into sections and 



each section roofed, bored and mounted in 



such a way as to make two or more. nesting 



places out of one. 



A handsome and durable box may be 



made of bark. This style of box is one of 



Mr. William Brewster's ingenious inven- 

 tions, and yet is untried; but I have made a 



considerable number of them and see no 



reason why they will not be serviceable. 



Old tin utensils may be useful to the farmer 



to put up in his orchard, but they are not 



ornamental and should be placed in trees 



where they will be hidden by the foliage; 



but the bark box is novel, useful, neat, and 



also decorative in a rustic way. 



The birch boxes must be made late in June, when the 



bark will peel readily. A small tree can be cut down and cut 



into sections long enough for boxes. Each box is made by 



peeling off both outer and inner bark, then sawing a slice off 

 each end of the stick for the bottom and top, 

 tacking the bark on the ends, nailing on the 

 supporting stick, and then covering the top 

 with the green bark from a young pine, to 

 make it water-tight. 



These small boxes are suitable for the 

 chickadee. The bark of the chestnut makes 

 strong and durable boxes, which may be 

 covered or roofed with zinc, for the larger 

 birds. 



The cat and the English sparrow are the 

 chief enemies of the native birds about our 

 villages and cities. An objection to many 

 bird-houses is that they are not cat-proof. 

 When my first shingle box had been up 

 three or four weeks the family cat was found, one day, hang- 

 ing on it and clawing out the young birds. Later a box which 



Box for Bluebirds 

 or Chickadees 



