Instructions for Banding Birds. 13 
out and up, pivoting on two nails driven in from the sides near the 
top. 
fil order to take out birds caught in nesting holes in trees, a long- 
handled net should be used, such as appears in Figure 14. This may 
be slipped over the 
hole, and the trap 
door allowed to drop: 
Usually, the bird will 
fly at once out into 
the net. Figure 12 
shows one of the nest 
boxes equipped with 
this device, which 
has been successfully 
used by S. Prentiss 
Baldwin in his study 
of the habits of the 
house wren. 
GATHERING 
CAGE. 
Do not attempt to 
seize a bird in the 
trap chambers, un- 
less absolutely neces- 
sary. Use a small 
gathering cage, and 
drive the birds into 
it gently, thereby 
eliminating much of , 
the fluttering that is mony 
b d : h Fig. 14.—Short-handled landing net attached to extension 
ound to occur 1n the pole, for use in capturing birds in nest boxes, bank- 
: nesting birds, and others. The leafy branches in the 
larger spaces of the = lower right part of the picture were placed there as a 
trap. Such a cage, blind to conceal the ODETALOE ys Photog Eas ben bee 
: - pank-swallow colony near Washington, D. C., e 
12 inches long and author. ; 
6 inches square (the 
size of the doorway in the Government sparrow trap), is readily 
constructed from a piece of hardware cloth 1 foot wide and 2 feet 
long. A piece of netting is laced in to form the back, and the door 
is made to operate in the same manner as that of the trap. The door 
should drop inward in each case, and lie flat on the bottom when the 
cage isopen. (See fig. 1.) 
OTHER METHODS OF TRAPPING. 
Various other methods of trapping birds for banding will sug- 
gest themselves to the operator. It must be remembered, however, 
that birds are likely to become more or less frightened when caught 
in any trap, and traps that will grasp or seize them must not be used 
except in special cases. 
- The capture of small birds at their nests by means of hair-nets (such 
as are worn by women, or those specially made for this purpose from 
horsehair) is permissible when the operator remains. within sight 
74365 °—24 3 
