Purple Martins on Stuart Acres 



93 



tween 300 and 400 bird-houses of every sort and description, from the small 

 rustic Wren house to large logs of the Von Berlepsch type for Wood Ducks and 

 Screech Owls and including ten Martin-houses. Previous to March 20, 19 14, 

 there were no bird-houses 

 of any description, neither 

 were there any Purple Mar- 

 tins, Tree Swallows, nor 

 House Wrens. 



Many bird-boxes have 

 been added each season 

 since 19 14, until, at this 

 writing, there are more than 

 1,400 on the whole estate; 

 there were at one time 

 (1916) over 1,600 houses, 

 but about 200 have been 

 removed because, for some 

 reason or other, they were 

 left unoccupied; it was a 

 waste of time and labor to 

 look after them, since it 

 was very soon discovered 

 that success with bird- 

 houses meant regular, sys- 

 tematic attention for the 

 removal of English Sparrow 

 nests, this nuisance being 

 the most serious obstacle 

 to bringing back and re- 

 establishing our native birds 

 as far as bird-house occu- 

 pants is concerned. There- 

 fore, every bird-box is examined every 21 days in the nesting season and an 

 accurate report made of what is found, no account being taken of any nest 

 unless it contains either eggs or young birds. Therefore, there is no guess- 

 work either as to kind of bird or numbers, since no mention is made 

 of incomplete or unoccupied nests; the reports of the four young men 

 who make the regular inspections can be depended . upon to be absolutely 

 accurate. 



It might be of interest, but would require too much space, to relate in detail 

 the experiences, successes, and disappointments of the five years past, but suffice 

 it to say that results speak for themselves and briefly stated here they are. In 

 the June inspection of 19 14 there were 46 pairs of Martins in the 10 Martin- 



STARTliXG OUT ON THE DAY S WORK OF 



INSPECTION 



Removing House Sparrows' nests and other undesirables 



