Three Years After 



207 



It can be easily seen that by feeding and housing more than an average 

 number of birds in a given area, their natural enemies are attracted and 

 increased, so that it is of little avail to create a so-called Sanctuary unless 

 constant protection from a resident warden is supplied. 



In addition to general supervision, our warden makes his rounds early in 

 the morning and at twilight, on the lookout for unusual happenings and new 

 arrivals. Predaceous mammals, and the like, must be looked for, and his catch 

 of detrimentals for the past year includes 

 21 rats, I skunk (who helped himself to 

 eggs meant for the Crows), i weasel, and 

 17 striped snakes, we having decided to 

 destroy these because of the harm that 

 we have found that they did in breaking 

 up the nests of Song and Field Sparrows, 

 while the small Owls and Red-shouldered 

 Hawks can be trusted to keep down 

 such rodents as the snakes would destroy. 



One lesson can be learned through 

 our experience by those wishing to put 

 up bird-houses — do not place them at 

 random or too near together as if your 

 garden was a salesroom. With a few 

 gregarious exceptions, birds like privacy, 

 and one house should not be within sight 

 of another. Then, too, the houses of 

 simplest construction find the readiest 

 tenants. A long, squared box with the 

 proper opening at top and a few chips 

 and shavings inside will suit a Flicker or 

 Screech Owl as well as the elaborate 

 von Berlepsch construction, proving that 

 American birds, like American people, 

 have no use for German Kultur. 



We have found a double reason 

 for clearing out bird-boxes during the 

 winter. In half a dozen cases the white-footed or deer mouse has made a soft 

 nest in them, and in one Wren box a family of ten was wintering. This house 

 and contents, carefully mounted, is an object of interest in one of the study 

 cases. 



Among the notable birds that have adopted our home-made houses is the 

 Great-crested Flycatcher, who was quite at home in a decayed apple stub 

 with a bark roof. 



A natural brush-heap, supplemented from time to time, is particularly 



GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER AND 



ITS NESTING-BOX 



Photographed by Wilbur F. Smith 



