New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-19
THE BIRDS AND l."
MAKE your VISITS SHORT AND DO NOT
GO TOO OFTEN"

SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING BIRD HOUSES THAT
WILL SEND EVERY BOY AND GIRL TO
LOOK FOR A HAMMER AND NAILS.
One OF the most delightful and suggestive Of the
teachers leaflets issued by the College Of Agri-
culture, Cornell University, for use in the public
schools Is one entitled The Birds and l." by L. H.
Bailey This Is Illustrated by a number Of sug-
gest!ons for bird houses. which may be copied by
ell the boys and girls who are always wanting 10
use hammer and nails and make something use
fuL"
The birds and get acquainted all over again
every spring" says Mr.. Bailey. They have seen
strange lands IN the winter and all the brooks
and woods have been covered with snow. SO we
run and ronp together. and find all the hooks and
crannies which had hall forgotten since Oc-
tober. The birds remember the old places. The
wrens pull the sticks from the hollow rail. and
seen TO be wild with Joy 70 the place again.
They must be the same wrens that were here last
year and the year before. for strangers could not
make 50 much fuss over an old rail The buebrds
and wrens look into every crack and corner for a
place IN which 10 build and the robins and chip
Ping sparrows explore every tree in the old orchard
IF the birds want 70 live with US. We should en-
courage them. The first thing 70 do IS 10 let them
alone Let them be free from danger and fear
as you l. Take he hammer off the old gun,
give pussy so much 10 eat that she will not care
70 hunt for birds. and keep away the boys who
steal eggs and who carry sling shots and throw
stones Plant trees and bushes about the borders
Of the place and let some OF them. at least, grow
into tsngles: then, in the back yard the wary
catbird may make its home.
BUILD HOMES FOR BIRDIE
For some kinds Of birds we can build houses
Some of the many forms which be used are
shown In the picture Any ingenious boy can
suggest a dozen other patterns Although birds
may not appreciate architecture, II is well 10 make
the houses neat and tasty by taking pains TO have
the proportions right The floor space in each com
nartment should be not less than 5X6 inches and
6xs inches or 6xS inches may be better BY cutting
the boards In multiples Of these numbers, one can
easily make house with several COMPARTMENTS
for there are some birds, as martins, tree swa-
lows and pigeons that Ike to 1--we II famihes or
colonies
9Th. size Of the doorway is important. It should
be tust large enough to admit the bird. A larger
opening not only looks bad but II exposes the IN
habitants 20 dangers OF cats and otner enemies
Birds which build IN houses aside from doves ana
pigeons are bluebrds. wrens, tree swallows, mar
tins and sometimes the chickadee For the wren
and chickadee the opening should be an inch and
q half augIr hole and for the others it should be
TWO inches Only one opening should be PROVIDED
for each house or compartment perch OF oooI-
step should be provided just below each oool'
II here that the birds often stop TO arrange ther
toilets and when the mistress Is busy win t nd
affairs indoors the male bird often sits OUTSIDE an
with the latest neB Dol IOO- eoI-5
These houses should be placed on poles OF On ous,u
ings in somewhat secluded places A x Feet or
tree swallows Ike 10 build their nests 20 80 1I,,
more above The ground but the otner pros usueiS
prefer an elevation less than y feet Ns"Iy NO AZ
houses, and particularly newly P04ii''- '
not often attract the birds -,.r. -,us+
,'Rut n the birds and ] are companions M 1
know them more intimately. NeIeS -. I-o1,
houses for them is not enough. "ar W. &c not
live and happy birds, not deao one .pa, no. SHINING
1ham nor collecting their eggs. persons NJ
business Of studying birds may shoot OH ~
and then and collect their eegs hI - neonIa T'hev
az scientists and they are grown up PeUpie, 5gs
are irving 10 add the sum OF human 49, 80,
bur we want 10 know birds just because We 49,
- But even the scientists 40 NOT '@H HS,sY DO not
In b-ood,ng birds They do not make corrections
roT-e1v for The sake Of making them an , ~.
+batr Collections are less valuable thah hno"iee
~ ~ hird ss IL lives and flies ana slnse. -,
% o4rIs should not make colectlons OF
eggs for these collections are mere cut ~ e,;
rs COLLECTIONS OF spools and naroles atr, b,,,
raw afford some entertainment. 70 ~ some
one "a n And amusement in harmless "asss,,as one
Teo,is ,-irk that making collections n1nes % ree
nsfuraltst but does not ne ma a. tbetr owl,
more for things they really are One does not
49, ~ birds when he steals tntif 49, .be
breaks ND their homes; and ne ls sPbirdee keep
farmer OF one Of his best n1ends' Io' O
H !s,.,d biTSs do not sing and empty eggs 90
not hatch Then let US go 70 the ueIus ss snG trv
the birds Sit down on the solL 70 70 on Wonder
to make what the roptn ~ n 9Th song in
fierce or why the wren IS ourstlns, ~ vii hiring
tbs tbtckef An operaglass or spyglass VII taI
them close 70 you. Try 10 ma out no' ~; what
the coiors and shapes and sizes arr 10 Tou,
,nucb Cos Z. EST? Where is its nest H ty mo- Io !,
eggs does II lay? What color are ny ,stber bird
does the mother bird set? poes INC