DOMESTICATION OF OUR WILD BIRDS 



333 



We should guard against such disappointments in con- 

 nection with the autumn bird census and during the 

 study of nests and nesting 

 materials. For each bird 

 included in their grade plan 

 they should have clear ideas 

 as to its preferences and be 

 led to accommodate them- 

 selves to the bird's life, 

 rather than expect the bird 

 to do impossible things. 



To supply homes, nest- 

 ing places, and materials 

 for nests is a fascinating 

 study. Trees may be 

 pruned to make inviting 

 crotches, and a dark tangle 

 of bushes overgrown with 

 vines and suniiowers, dense 

 lilac bushes, or a " syringa 

 thicket" will be sure to 

 attract catbirds, brown 

 thrashers, and some others. 

 Bird houses furnish homes 

 for wrens, bluebirds, chick- 

 adees, nuthatches, tree 

 swallows, and purple mar- 

 tins, but here, again, Eng- 

 lish sparrows are the omnipresent nuisance and must be 

 served frequent notice to quit the premises. The proper 

 size for a bird house is six inches square floor space and 



Fig. 130. Bluebird 



One of tlie author's tenement houses. 

 There are five young ones inside, and 

 the pair reared three broods in 1901 



