THE MAKING OF BIRDCRAPT SANGTUARiT 



15 



satisfy it. This type of cat, toi't'ther with Crows, we are con- 

 vinced, canses qnite as .n'reat losses to bird and poultry-raisers 

 as all the Hawks eomlnned. 



It can be easily seen tliat ))y feeding- and housi]i,t;- more than 

 an averag'e number of birds in a given area, their natui'al 

 enemies are attracted and increased, so that it is of little avail 

 to create a so-called Sanctuai'y unless constant pi'otection from 

 a resident warden is supplied. 



In addition to general supervision, our warden makes his 

 rounds early in the morning and at twilight, on the lookout for 

 unusual happenings and new arrivals. Predacious mammals, 

 and the like, must be looked for and trapped. 



One lesson can be learned through our experience by those 

 wishing to put up bird-houses — do not place them at random or 

 too near together as if your garden was a salesroom. With a 

 f e w gregarious exceptions, 

 birds like privacy, and one 

 house should not be within 

 sight of another. Then, too, the 

 houses of simplest construction 

 find the readiest tenants. A 

 long, squared box with the 

 projjer o])ening at top and a 

 few chips and shavings inside 

 will suit a Flicker or Screech 

 (_)wl as well as the elaborate von 

 Berlepsch construction, proving 

 that American birds, like Amer- 

 ican people, adapt themselves 

 to all conditions. 



We have found a double 

 reason for cleaning out bird- 

 boxes during the winter. In 

 half a dozen cases the white- 

 footed or deer mouse has made 

 a soft nest in them, and in one 

 Wren box a family of ten was 

 wintering. This house and con- 

 tents, carefully mounted, is an 



, . ', ,..,.• ,. GREAT-GRKSTED FLYGATCHER 



object ot interest in one ot our and its nesting box 



study cases. Photographed by Wilbur F. Smith 



