POULTRY BREEDING. 2 49 



The bottom of the door is a hard wood strip 10 1-4" by 4". 

 The side strips are fitted into the ends of this bottom strip in 

 such way as to project slightly (about 1-32"; above the front 

 surface of that strip for a reason which will be apparent. 



When the nest is open the door extends horizontally in front 

 as shown in Figure 2. In this position the side strips of the 

 door rests on a strip of beech 1 1-2" wide beveled on the inner 

 corner. This beech is nailed to a board 4" wide which forms 

 the front of the nest box proper. To the bottom of this is 

 nailed a strip 2" wide into which are set 4" spikes from which 

 the heads have been cut (compare Fig. 2). The treadle rest* 

 on these spikes when the nest is closed. The hinges used in 

 fastening the treadle and door are narrow 3" galvanized butts 

 with brass pins made to work very easily. It will be recog- 

 nized that the proper working of the nest depends to a very 

 large degree on these hinges. It has been found necessary to 

 have the hinges made to order in order to get any which would 

 be sufficiently loose. This can be done, however, without any 

 cost above the regular price of the hinges provided the order 

 is placed for a considerable quantity at one time. Hinges such as 

 those used in the nests at the Station may be obtained through 

 the Rice and Miller Company, Wholesale Hardware, Bangor, 

 Maine. 



The manner in which the nest operates will be clear from an 

 examination of Figures 2 and 3 which show a sample nest with 

 one side removed to show the inside. A hen about to lay steps 

 up on the door and walks towards the dark back of the nest. 

 When she passes the point where the door is hinged to the 

 treadle her weight on the treadle causes it to drop. That at 

 the same time pulls the door up behind her as shown in Figure 

 3. It is then impossible for the hen to get out of the nest till 

 the attendant lifts door and treadle and resets it. It will be 

 seen that the nest is extremely simple. It has no locks or trig- 

 gers to get out of order. Yet by proper balancing of door and 

 treadle it can be so delicately adjusted that a weight of less 

 than 1-2 pound on the treadle will spring the trap. All bear- 

 ing surfaces are made of beech because of the well known 

 property of this wood to take on a highly polished surface with 

 wear. The nests in use at the Maine Station have the doors 



