Nesting Boxes 3 i 7 



likely to be occupied by the bluebirds, chickadees and wrens, 

 than are the square boxes or bird-houses, especially if they 

 are raised high in the air on poles. 



While the exact size of the box is rather immaterial, the 

 size of the entrance hole is most important. This should be 

 just large enough to admit the desired tenant, and small 

 enough to keep out all larger birds. A diameter of one and 

 seven-eights of an inch will do for wrens, one and one-fourth 

 inches for chickadees, one and one-half inches for bluebirds 

 or swallows, two and one-half inches for martins, and three 

 and one-half inches for flickers and screech owls. By observ- 

 ing this simple rule about the size of the doorway, it some- 

 times is possible to have several species nesting amicably 

 within a small area. 



Martins, breeding as they do in large communities, are 

 particularly subject to parasites and other adverse influences. 

 Nearly all the martins in Massachusetts seem to have suc- 

 cumbed to the cold rain storms of June, 1903. They were 

 then decimated throughout most of southern New England. 

 It seems probable that the only hope of their soon recovering 

 their foothold there lies in putting up more martin boxes 

 and thoroughly cleaning out those now filled with dead mar- 

 tins or with English sparrows' nests. In a few cases in 

 southern Maine where this was done martins bred during 

 the past season. Elsewhere in the same towns there were 

 no martins. 



One of the most important questions asked by those who 

 are putting up bird-houses is, "How shall we get rid of the 

 English sparrow?" The sparrows are kept away from my 

 bird boxes by the use of a gun loaded with small charges of 

 powder and dust shot. *They have so well learned their les- 

 son that there has been no necessity for shooting any for two 

 years. Where these birds are plenty, however, continuous 

 shooting may be necessary. I have never had any success in 

 putting up boxes hung so as to swing by a wire. The spar- 

 rows do not nest in them, but neither do other birds ; never- 

 theless, some of my correspondents have known both blue- 



* I would not kill the sparrows. 



