36 THE AUDUBON BULLE EN 
anyone should wish to construct similar houses they should find no difficulty 
in doing so. 
The lumber should be kiln-dried and about seven-eighths of an inch 
in thickness. All parts should be primed thoroughly before being put 
together, to lessen the possibility of warping or shrinking, and when the 
house has been built it should be thoroughly primed before being, painted, 
with some light-colored paint of a good quality to lessen heat-absorption. 
The chambers of the house shown here were thoroughly shellacked on 
the inside, as an aid in cleaning. 
The sides of the house were hinged, as will be seen in the plate, a 
5 or 6 inch “TT” hinge, being used for that purpose. 
The latter is preferred as it serves to brace the door, preventing its 
warping. “These should be hung to the permanent strip just below the eave 
where the roof-board comes down to the side. When these large side doors 
are not being opened they are held in place by four round-headed brass 
screws one and three-eighths inch in length running through a brass washer 
on the outside on which the head rests when firmly tightened down. Brass 
is recommended to avoid rust. 
Here are several suggestions it might be well to adopt: 
(1) In setting up the house always select an open situation some dis- 
tance from trees or obstructions of any sort as Martins always like ample 
wing-space in which to turn around. The writer’s houses were elevated on 
stout cedar posts 6 to 7 inches in diameter and from 13 to 15 feet above 
the ground. ‘The posts were sunk fully 4 feet in the ground in order to 
secure firmness as well as to lessen vibration during times of high wind. 
I do not favor the hinged-pole as I consider it of no great use except during 
the fall when cleaning operations take place after the season is through and, 
even then, they are cumbersome and awkward to handle. My preference is 
the 12 or 14 foot ladder with which to conduct all such operations. (2) 
The broad sides of the house should be facing east and west in order to 
avoid the direct and scorching rays of sun upon the sloping sides of roof, 
thus securing a more even temperature in the large roomy (10 in. x 15 in.) 
attic. 
The large hinged side door will be found a great convenience in 
cleaning out the chambers at the close of season. My houses were thor- 
oughly brushed on the inside and carefully sponged with tepid water and 
soap, and it was wondertul the amount of insect-vermin that were disclosed 
at such times. My bare arms were thickly studded with fleas—at least I 
took them as such—though they never showed any disposition to bite; they 
appeared to be torpid and perhaps had gone into the hibernating state for 
the winter. How they came there was a question. I always felt that stray 
animals, such as dogs and cats, may have accounted for their presence. They 
were packed in mass-formation beneath the soiled and matted nest-material. 
Aside from being a great convenience in renovating the boxes, these 
doors will be found useful in ridding the houses of those perennial nuisances, 
