On the Construction of Houses for the Purple Martin 15 



ornaments for the birds to perch on are whittled out of white pine blocks, 

 and the corner strips and window -frames and caps are made of thin pine 

 strips. The window-sills are Y^ to Yx inch thick, which gives the birds a 

 foothold in going in and out of their nesting-rooms. 



The same materials used in No. i will answer in building No. 2, with 

 the addition of round wooden cylinders (I use "E Twist" tobacco crates, 

 which are very convenient and cost but a trifle ; they are about the size of 

 a half -bushel m.easure, and parts 

 of three are required in making 

 this house). The rooms in the 

 third story of this round part are 

 only 5 inches high. Porch col- 

 umns can be turned out of poplar 

 pieces at the planing-mill, or 

 square ones, made by hand, with 

 beveled corners, look well and 

 cost less. 



The outside of all joints, 

 gutters and valleys in the roof 

 should have a strip of tin securely 

 nailed on to exclude water and 

 preserve the house. 



The first floor of all bird- 

 houses weighing fifty pounds or 

 over should be double, one ex- 

 tending above (inside), and one 

 below the weather-boarding. 

 Use ?^-inch oak boards for the 

 first floor ; clean poplar, Y\ inch 

 thick for the sides and roof, and 

 white pine, Y^ inch thick, for 

 partitions and inside floors (shoe 

 boxes are the best for this). 



I paint the body of all my 

 bird-houses white, and the corner strips, window-frames and other trim- 

 mings in light or dark green, red or slate ; gable pieces in terra -cotta ; 

 roof dark slate, and chimney and roof ornaments white. Upper half of 

 windows are painted green, to represent shades. Bottom of box and the 

 pole are painted black. 



The angle-irons, four in number, for fastening the box to the top end 

 of the pole, are made of old buggy or wagon tire, according to the weight 

 they have to support, and are screwed to the bottom of the box and to the 

 pole ; or, if an iron pipe is used, to a piece of wood which will slip down 



HOUSE NO. i IN POSITION 



