Notes from Field and Study 



147 



box down." Now I would like to say that 

 the prevalent idea that it is no longer 

 possible to keep up a Martin colony with 

 any degree of success is a mistake. It is 

 quite true that since the advent of the 

 English Sparrow it is far more difficult 

 than formerly, but if a person will take 

 the trouble either to take down his box 

 in winter or else plug up the openings, 

 and then use a 22 shotgun to assist in 

 keeping down the pests, the Martins will 

 get along all right. Naturally, if one al- 

 lows his Martin-house to become filled 

 with Sparrows' nests, the Martins will be 

 unable to use it when they arrive in the 

 spring; but there is no excuse for allowing 

 the Sparrows to build a single nest after 

 the Martins leave. , My plan is to plug 

 the doors with pieces of wood and then 



use a 22 Stevens smooth-bore with shot 

 cartridges which are safe to use, even in 

 crowded localities. Also, I go up to the 

 boxes once a week and tear out with an 

 iron hook any nests the Sparrows have 

 built, and to the shame of the Martins be 

 it said that I generally have to take out 

 two or three Sparrow nests every week. 

 In justice to the Martins, however, I will 

 say that with the increase in my colony I 

 have had far less trouble in this respect, as 

 the Martins are not now outnumbered in 

 so large a ratio. 



In this way I have managed without a 

 great deal of trouble to keep my Martin 

 colony comfortably housed and to see 

 them steadily increase in numbers. I 

 ought to mention here that for suggestions 

 in regard to the Sparrow nuisance I am 



A SUCCESSFUL MARTIN COLONY 

 Photographed by R. W. McDowell 



take them out when it is time for the greatly indebted to J. Warren Jacobs, of 



Martins to arrive. I also begin my war- 

 fare upon the Sparrows early in the spring 

 and keep it up all summer, going around 

 before breakfast and at suppertime and 

 picking off a few each day. For this I 



Waynesburg, Pa., who has given me valu- 

 able ideas and help. 



I consider it a great pity that more 

 people do not provide accommodations 

 for our native birds. If the average 



