i8 



of both cats and squirrels. On the lawn or in a door- 

 yard the pole may have a Dorothy Perkins rose growing 

 on it: the thorns on the rosebush prevent cats and 

 squirrels from climbing to the nesting box. Another 

 way to protect the box is to encircle the pole with a 

 tin band or wire netting. 



Wood is the best material for nesting boxes. Tin 

 cans or flower pots, when used, should be placed in the 

 shade, as they are likely to heat up and cook the young 

 birds. The birds will use home-made boxes that follow 

 these specifications just as readily as any of the expen- 

 sively manufactured varieties. 



Many persons put the nesting boxes too near together. 

 The birds like a free feeding area about their dwellings, 

 and if the nesting boxes are crowded, and assume a 

 tenement district nearness, they are not so likely to be 

 occupied. Select suitable clumps of trees, and then be 

 content with a single nesting box to a clump, and do 

 not make the mistake of putting a nesting box on each 

 tree. 



The Bath— For Birds * 



The bath is an important method of attracting birds 

 about the house in summer. Clean water for drinking 

 and bathing is absolutely essential as birds are known 

 to have travelled miles to find palatable water. These 

 bathing pools must be suitably made, however. In 

 general, baths should be shallow, with a gradual slope. 

 The birds like to wade into the water, and many baths 

 fail to attract as many bathers as they should because 

 the sides are too steep and the beach-like slope is lacking. 

 They should also be of material which is not too slippery. 



The Brush Hill Bird Club has had an earthenware 

 bird bath made up on these lines, which is known as 

 the St. Francis Dip. They are obtainable from the 

 Dorchester Pottery Works, 9 Preston St., Dorchester, 

 Mass., at $6.00. 



*See plate, page 81. 



