109 
JSTot one of the other bird houses in the vicinity was occu- 
pied. If every one owning a martin box would clean it out 
annually before the last week in April, the chances of the 
birds’ re-establishing themselves might be bettered. The 
English sparrows must be kept out of the houses, for when 
they once get the rooms tilled with their bulky nests and 
pugnacious bodies, the few martins now left will have little 
chance for a home. 
Mrs. Mary R. Stanley writes from North Attleborough of 
a plan which she thinks will keep out English sparrows from 
martin boxes. She speaks of some old dwelling houses 
where holes underneath the jet were made, affording the 
birds access to the space under the eaves. These, she says, 
were used by martins, and have never been used by the 
sparrows. She suggests making martin boxes with all the 
entrances underneath, and without perches, believing that 
the sparrows will not enter them. The experiment might 
be worth trying, for every promising means should be used 
to entice migrating martins to remain and breed. 1 Every 
householder suitably located should put up at least one small 
martin box on a pole not less than twenty feet high. Then, 
whenever the martins north or south of Massachusetts have 
a good breeding season, we shall be ready to take care of the 
overflow. 
Barn swallows may be fostered by keeping old-fashioned 
barns and sheds open (or at least one open window in 
each). Round or rough-hewn rafters furnish supporting 
points for their nests. Small blocks nailed up on mod- 
em squared rafters, or slats nailed across them, will assist 
these swallows in building. The eaves swallows may be 
helped by nailing a rough board on the outside of the build- 
ing, about a foot below where the eaves or jet meet the wall. 
The only nest of this species that I saw in Bristol County in 
1903 was built on the ledge over the door of a painted barn. 
Tree swallows need no assistance beyond being supplied 
with an abundance of small nesting boxes, widely separated 
and put up on poles or trees. If the English sparrow can be 
1 Later experience has proved this plan a failure, as the sparrows have learned to 
enter these holes and keep the martins out. 
