2o6 PROPAGATION OF WILD BIRDS 



chimneys, adopted since white men settled in America. A 

 few individuals tried it, probably, and their young practised 

 what they had learned. Chimney-nesting evidently proved 

 safer than in hollow trees, where raccoons, squirrels, or 

 other enemies ate the eggs or young, and the chimney- 

 reared birds finally comprised practically the entire species, 

 despite the fact that there are yet in some sections large 

 hollow trees in which they could nest. Similarly have 

 changed the habits of the cliff or eave swaUow, barn swallow, 

 phoebe, and various others, which could be enlarged upon. 

 Thus, no doubt, the birds around Seebach, after a number 

 of generations, have been led to alter their primeval habits, 

 though along lines which have a similarity to nature, and 

 are not altogether arbitrary. 



Another corollary from this is that more and more species 

 may be expected to change their regular habits through sys- 

 tematic popular efforts. Some species, of which now only 

 an occasional individual happens to use a nest-box, may in 

 time come to use them frequently or regularly. As the in- 

 dividuals raised in boxes increase in numbers year by year, 

 the numbers of species and individuals using nesting-boxes 

 should rapidly grow. Birds normally return from migra- 

 tion to the neighbourhood of their birthplace; hence in local- 

 ities where birds are thus raised such habits will tend to 

 spread rapidly. 



Conditions in America. In this country we are in the in- 

 fancy of attracting birds. Only about four species — the 

 bluebird, house wren, purple martin, and tree swallow — ^had 

 formerly become regularly accustomed to using artificial 

 nests, and a number of other species have begun to do so. 

 Including all parts of the country, twenty-seven species 

 have been known to occupy artificial nest-boxes. If nation- 

 wide interest and effort can be developed, it is without 



