tain cat in the household of the writer, although burdened 

 with six bells of various sizes, was photographed one morning 

 at 4 o'clock in the act of killing and mauling a fledgling cat- 

 bird. This same cat, sleek and fat, brought to our veranda 

 during the past nesting season, twenty-eight birds, none of 

 which it ate. 



Cat Guards for Trees and Posts Holding: Nesting Boxes 



If a well nourished cat establishes such a record, is not 

 the estimate of fifty birds per cat per year, made by Prof. 

 Forbush, a reasonable one. The same authority estimates 

 that 7,000,000 birds are killed annually by cats in New Eng- 

 land alone. 



The statement made that we need cats to keep down rats 

 and mice is only a half truth. The writer has taken pains to 

 note that households owning cats still depend largely upon 

 rat and mouse traps. 



Bells on cats may give warning to adult birds, but do not 

 lessen the killing of young birds. Confine your cat during the 

 nesting time. At least keep it indoors at night if you would 

 protect the birds. 



In localities overrun with half-starved tramp cats, the cat 

 trap in the illustration will prove effective. The cat enters, 

 attracted by the bait, which should be grisly beef, preferably 

 half broiled. The batit is impaled on a nail at the back of the 



