BIRDS IN THE GARDEN 229 



ground, or on a tree branch, perhaps a little higher. The pole or branch 

 should be so slender that a cat would not venture to climb it, that is, 

 not more than one and one-half inches thick; and if a pole, preferably 

 some smooth, hard wood like a rake handle or the thick end of a bamboo 

 fish pole. 



The wren, whose bubbling song is such a joy all through the Spring 

 and Summer, does not get here so early as the bluebird and might 

 easily find all the nesting sites occupied, were it not for one thing. 

 His tiny body will squeeze in where no sparrow or starling or bluebird 

 could obtrude, and while he might try the bluebird box, the first pair 

 of bluebirds or sparrows to come along would surely oust him. 



An entrance hole one inch in diameter is the solution, and if the 

 interior is no more than three and one-half or four inches square by six 

 inches long, the larger bird will not even look in more than once. 



Wrens have been known to nest in many curious places, such as the 

 sleeve of an old coat, an old boot, a bomb shell, a pump, an empty 

 Tomato can, and perhaps the most curious of all, a human skull. 



The great majority of wrens, however, nest in a hollow limb or tree 

 trunk, and naturally the bird house which most resembles such a loca- 

 tion will be the most likely to attract these tireless little bug hunters. 

 The ideal box would be the one which most nearly resembles a big knot 

 on the side of the tree trunk. 



A bluebird does not seem to care how exposed the house may be to 

 the sun, in fact, he rather likes an open situation, but I have yet to see 

 a wren's nest where the entrance was not well shaded, so, to guard 

 against the gardener, who might not know this peculiarity of the 

 cunning little brown fellow, the bird house man should provide a good 

 overhang to the roof of the wren house, also a* little perch just below 

 that entrance hole and be sure once more that same entrance hole is 

 round and no more than an inch in diameter. A couple of designs 

 which have been successful are shown on pages 230 and 232. 



Writing of the robin, Mr. Rull continues: 



How cheery is his morning song just at the first peep of day. And 

 how sweet his long evening song which he keeps up till long after sun- 

 set. And how weatherwise he is. 



When he flies up to the topmost branch of his pet tree and calls his 

 "twill-rain!" "twill-rain!" you may be very sure the garden will be 

 sprinkled without overworking the water meter. How fat and cheerful 

 he looks as he hops over the lawn; stopping now and again to yank 

 out a great fat worm, possibly as long as himself. He will be glad to 

 nest in your garden and if you have a large tree he will usually nest in 

 that, but so many trees have no suitable forks. He would be most 

 pleased to nest on a shelf under the eaves of your house, but so many 



