On the Construction of Houses for the Purple Martin 



By J. WARREN JACOBS 



Illustrated by the author 



IT is a task for me to give plans and describe the manner of constructing 

 houses for Purple Martins. This is not because I have lacked experience 

 in building these houses, but because in making a score or more of 

 Martin homes, I have followed no set plan or rule, except to have the 

 rooms a certain size, the entrances to the same of proper dimensions, and 

 the whole, when finished, to have the appearance of a miniature residence 

 or other building. 



Before commencing on a bird-house, I had firmly fixed in my mind about 

 what I wanted to do, and could fairly well picture how the house would 

 look when completed. With my head for a guide, and a well-equipped kit 

 of wood -working tools, I went to work on a house, which, when com- 

 pleted, was a well-proportioned, miniature building, bearing close inspection 

 by architectural critics. 



The first Martin house I ever built contained rooms 6 inches square 

 and 7 inches high, with entrances 2>4 inches square, i inch above the floor. 

 The birds were so well pleased with this box that I have followed this rule 

 in making all others. Of course, the model of some of the houses I have 

 made compelled me to vary in the dimensions of some of the rooms, but in 

 nearly all cases the capacity was about the same: — if the width of a room 

 was an inch less than the regular size, the depth was greater. 



If you wish to build a Martin house and are fearful that you cannot 

 devise and carry out a plan for a neat, well proportioned, miniature resi- 

 dence, make a plain box of twelve rooms, paint it well and erect it I2 to 15 

 feet above the ground, on a stout pole or iron pipe, in a position twenty or 

 more feet from your buildings and where the tree branches do not reach. 

 To make such a box, take a board 13 inches wide and 20 inches long; this 

 is for the bottom or first floor, and should be at least }i inch thick. For 

 sides and ends get a poplar board 16 inches wide and ^ inch thick. Cut 

 off two 13-inch sections for the ends, and two pieces 21/^ inches long for 

 the sides. With a rule and pencil, divide these two side pieces off in three 

 equal sections each; then draw a line full length the board, through the 

 middle; make an opening 2% inches square, centrally in each of the six 

 sections, 2 inches from the bottom edge, for the first story, and i >^ inches 

 above the middle line for the second story. This gives openings for six nest- 

 ing rooms in each of the two sides. Now nail the end pieces to the bottom 

 board, and then add the side pieces, and the house is ready to receive the 

 partitions, second floor and top ceiling — all of which can be made of pine 

 box-stufif >^ inch thick. This completes the inside up to the 'square.' 

 Now cut four triangular pieces for gables and roof supports, nailing two of 



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