62 



Duchy of Hesse, and the well-known ornithologist, Pastor Klein- 

 schmidt, who was there at the time, were able to verify the fact that 

 there were 73 nests in the same wood in a distance of 110 yards — one 

 nest, that is to say, to about every one-and-a-half yards.* It is certainly 

 worth noticing that, \^'ith two exceptions, these nests were built in the 

 artificially-produced whorls. 



Where no good land can be obtained for shelter- woods, ground that 

 cannot be used for agricultural purposes, quarries, clay pits, and. sand 

 pits, steep slopes, dead angles in fields, in farmyards and gardens, 

 ditches, sloping banks, outskirts of meadows, pastures and commons, 

 etc., should be laid out on the same principle. 



Every copse already in existence, every bush, park, even separate 

 hedges and groups of trees, may be used more or less as shelter-places 

 if the directions given above are carried out as far as possible. In 

 parks and similar places lying on the high road the woods must be 

 hidden by bushes, partly as a protection, partly to conceal from sensitive 

 eyes, the mutilation necessary to fit them for their purpose. It is 

 easy enough to combine beauty and usefulness. 



This has been done in various places, as at Magdeburg, where in the 

 town park at Herrenkrug, consisting of 1,500 acres, bird-protection 

 was encouraged by planting regular bird shelter-woods, on the Berlepsch 

 system, in the midst of covering bushes. 



Experience has shown that excellent results can be obtained in 

 districts poor in birds, if a bird shelter-wood is planted. We can be 

 fairly sure that our best and favourite songsters, notably the nightingale, 

 will then settle there in very surprising fashion. 



For this reason the authorities encourage the planting of shelter- 

 woods for birds in vine-growing districts as the best means of 

 encouraging the settlement of birds which prove so useful a remedy 

 against the Eudemis hotrana and the Tortrix jdlleriaivx, and as the best 

 protection for the woods. f 



* In 1907-8 the number of birds was much reduced both at Seebach and 

 elsewhere. 



t The largest of these plantations, laid out strictly in accordance with the 

 preceding directions, is at present growing up between Eltville, Steinberg, and 

 Kloster Eberbaoh. The bird shelter-woods lie between the valuable vineyards 

 and comprise about five acres. 



