46 



Box E, half -filled with a little nesting material, such as small feathers 

 {best of all torn sparrows' nests), should be fastened on towers and high 

 buildings, for swifts. 



The open box F may be fixed at a height of from 6 to 13 feet above 

 the ground, on isolated trees, verandas and walls of houses, for the 

 spotted fly-catcher, at a greater distance from the ground, on gables 

 if possible, for pied wagtails. Distance between boxes 20 to 30 paces. 



The foregoing remarks show that as a rule it is advisable to place 

 only one box on each tree and to hang the boxes at a distance of 

 some 30 paces. : ' The distance between the breeding pairs depends 

 on the kind of food and especially on whether they seek it near their 

 nest or at a distance. 



" As birds of the same species always eat the same kind of food, 

 they cannot live very close together without risk of want, if, like 

 most insectivorous birds, they seek it near the nest. Each pair 

 requires sufficient hunting ground round its home to satisfy its own 

 needs and those of its brood. Among the birds that breed in holes 

 starlings, roller, stockdoves, kestrels, sw r ifts, jackdaws, and merganser 

 must be excepted from these remarks. It is true individual members of 

 each separate species use the same food, but the birds do not seek it near 

 the nest, but at a considerable distance from it. They often go some kilo- 

 metres, scatter in all directions, and probably never interfere with each 

 other. The members of the same species can therefore live near together 



" Birds of different species as a rule live peacefully together. As 

 each species uses more or less distinct food, different kinds of birds 

 do not interfere with each other, even if they seek their food near 

 their nests in the same districts." 



On the whole it is better to distribute the boxes at one's disposal 

 equally over the district, beginning in the case of box A and Al at the 

 edge of the woods, parks or other plantations. If they hang rather 

 far apart at first, others can be added later on. The above directions 

 must also be carried out on large estates of many thousand acres, 

 even if at first the boxes are widely scattered. 



Two boxes per acre is the minimum for estates of this kind, i.e., 

 eight per hectare. If the number is less, we can scarcely reckon on 

 indirect results, such as a decrease of grubs. We may add that it is 

 not necessary to hang up two boxes on every acre. This is to give 



