The House of the Trees 



107 



shoukl be protected an<l encouraged by 

 means of nesting boxes. The corporation of 

 the city of Manchester owns Thirimoro. this 

 lake being their water supply, and they dis- 

 tributed nesting boxes of the pattern which 

 I devised, and which is illustrated herewith. 

 The advantage of this box was that it could 

 be made out of the slabs or rejected outer 

 portions of the lumber bearing the bark. 

 Three equal lengths of the slab are nailed 

 together to form three sides of a long box, 

 the outside of which, bearing the bark, was 

 round and the insiile square. The fourth 

 side is made of a Hat piece of wood, forming 

 the back of the box; this piece is longer 

 than the other sides, and projects above and 

 below the box, thus providing means of at- 

 taching the box to the tree. The top and 

 bottom of the box may be made of slab 

 wood. Several holes should be bored in the 

 bottom, which is nailed on, to keep the nest 

 dry. The top is hinged to the back board, 

 and when in use is fastened down by means 

 of a screw, which permits the lid to be 

 opened for the purpose of cleaning out the 

 old nests. By so utilizing waste lumber, 

 these boxes were made very cheaply at the 

 sawmill. In the lirst year (1908) 60 boxes 

 were distributed and 31 per cent, were oc- 

 cupied. The number of boxes was increa.sed 

 yearly, until, in 1911, there were 347 boxes, 

 of which 66 per cent, were occupied. I am 

 informed that in 1913 75 per cent, of the 

 boxes were occupied. 



WUkm 



Nesting Box. 



'In addition to the provi.-ion of nesting 

 places for those birds nesting in cavities 

 and hollow places, the protection of birds 

 involves the carrying out of other measures 

 also. For birds nesting on or near the 

 ground piles of logs or brushwood may be 

 left in sheltered places, and thickets of 

 closely growing shrubs and vines permitted 

 to remain here and there. Piled logs will 



also provide shelter for many birds during 

 inclement weather. While most of our birds 

 leave us during the winter, except in certain 

 places, where the chicadees may be found, 

 there are certain occasions where feeding 

 may be adopted with advantage. Not in- 

 frequently after the arrival of certain of 

 our early migrants in the spring a <old 

 spell and snow occurs. On such occasions 

 feeding can be resorted to with great ad- 

 vantage. The fact that birds. require water 

 is not so generally realized as one would 

 wish. Especially is this the case during our 

 hot summer months. One of the most at- 

 tractive additions which can be made to a 

 garden is a bird 's drinking trough, or foun- 

 tain. This should be shallow enough to per- 

 mit the birds to take a bath. The best typo 

 of artificial bird water supply for a garden 

 is a shallow pool, two or three feet in dia- 

 meter, and a few inches deep, in which a 

 few reeds and water plants are planted. If 

 this is placed in a wooded corner of the 

 garden or shrubbery it will be constantly 

 visited bv all kinds of small birds. 



THE HOUSE OF THE TREES. 



Ope your doors and take me in, 



Sjdrit of the wood. 

 Wash me clean of dust and din, 



Clothe me in your mood. 



Take me from the noisy light 



To the sunless peace, 

 ^\^lere at midday standeth Night 



Signing Toil's release. 



All your dusky twilight stores 



To my .'^en.ses give; 

 Take me in and lock the doors. 

 Show me how to live. 



Lift your leafy roof for me. 

 Part your yieMing walls; 



Let me wander linger! ugly 

 Through your scented halls. 



0]>e your doors and take me in, 



Spirit of the wood : 

 Take me — make me next of kin 



To yolir leafy Itrood. 



— Elhclwyn Wcthcrald. 



It is stated that Professor Adam Shortt, 

 Chairman of the Civil Service Commission 

 of Cana<la. will shortly bring out a report 

 containing some very useful information on 

 the management and efficiency of the Civil 

 Service of Great Britain. Dr. Shortt made 

 an extensive investigation of the Service 

 during a recent visit to the United King- 

 dom. — Canadian Engineer. 



