8 
No provision should be made for perches within the house, the 
writer’s experience being that no advantage results therefrom. It is 
a good practice to visit each house every night before retiring, to see 
that everything is in proper shape. The birds will almost invariably 
be found each in a separate box, the same bird in the same box night 
after night. They are thus secluded and do not soil each other by 
their droppings nor foul the floors as they would if they occupied 
individual perches outside the boxes. 
A long running board within the pen is a disadvantage, for on it a 
cock inclined to play the boss can chase away other birds and keep 
the whole flock in 
an uproar. On the 
other hand, with 
each bird settled 
away in a separate 
nesting place, little 
opportunity is given 
for fighting; and if 
it be attempted, the 
bird within the box 
has a great advan¬ 
tage over the one 
outside and can soon 
compel a retreat. 
The use of small 
earthenware nesting 
pans (fig. 3) is ad¬ 
vised. Some pairs 
may refuse to use them, and persist in building on the floor of the 
nest box. As a safeguard against lice, the base of the nest should be 
made of tobacco stems. Straw should be supplied for the use of the 
birds in completing the nests. 
THE FLY. 
The house being finished, consideration must next be given to pro¬ 
viding for the proper exercise of the birds in the open air and sun¬ 
light. This is secured by erecting a wire-netting cage or fly (figs. 1, 
4, 5, and 6) communicating with the house by means of small open¬ 
ings. The ground should be made level if not naturally so, and for a 
house of the size indicated it should extend out 32 feet from the side of 
the house. The frame of the fly is made of hemlock posts 2 by 3 
inches in size, and 8 feet high above the ground. These posts should 
be set in three rows parallel with the side of the building, 6 posts in 
each row (fig. 4). The outer row supports the end of the fly 32 feet 
from the building. Then another row is set half way in toward the 
177 
