NESTING BOXES. 9 



Meadow lark. — The fact that the meadow lark is at all times pro- 

 tected by the laws of Texas seems not to be appreciated by many 

 residents of the State, and in consequence many larks are shot for 

 food or sport. In view of the large number of boll weevils destroyed 

 by these birds, they should be rigidly protected, and farmers would 

 do well to see that the law is enforced on their property in the case 

 of these valuable birds. 



Painted hunting. — These brilliant little sparrows are in great de- 

 mand as cage birds, and, although protected in all the Southern States, 

 large numbers are nevertheless trapped and sold to dealers. In addi- 

 tion to their services as weed destroyers, these buntings are now known 

 to capture a considerable number of boll weevils. Every effort there- 

 fore should be made to stop the illegal traffic in these beautiful and 

 useful birds. 



NESTING BOXES. 



Since the purple martin has been found to capture boll weevils 

 both in the spring and in the fall, it is strongly recommended that 

 special efforts be made by cotton growers to increase the numbers of 

 martins feeding over their cotton fields. Though noAvhere very 

 abundant, martins are quite generally distributed in the South, so 

 that usually all that is necessary in order to attract additional num- 

 bers to a farm is to provide nesting boxes for them. Martins are 

 eminently social in their habits and do not ordinarily feed at a great 

 distance from the home box, so that once a colony becomes estab- 

 lished it may confidently be expected to increase from year to year 

 so long as increasing accommodations are provided for the pairs that 

 return each spring after their winter sojourn in South America. 



Xesting boxes may be of the simplest and homeliest construction 

 or they may be of elaborate and artistic forms, to suit the taste of 

 those who desire to make the martin house an ornament to the lawn 

 or dooryard. Large gourds are often utilized as nesting boxes, 

 the only preparation necessary being to hollow them out, cut an 

 entrance hole, and tie them to a tall pole. The only objection to their 

 use is that but one pair of martins can be accommodated in each 

 gourd. The more elaborate houses usually take the shape of a resi- 

 dence or other building, and in such cases the entrances to the rooms 



« The experience of Mr. J. Warren Jacobs, of Waynesburg, Pa., is valuable 

 as showing how rapidly a colony will increase when provided with adequate 

 nesting homes. In 1890 he put up a single house of 20 rooms, which was 

 occupied by 5 pairs of martins, which raised 11 young. The next year 10 pairs 

 returned to the house and raised 35 young. During the third and fourth 

 seasons 2 additional houses were erected, which furnished accommodations for 

 53 pairs, which raised over 150 young. Thus at the end of the fourth season the 

 colony numbered nearly 300 birds. 



7623— No. 29—07 2 



