Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-05-13

POlII4AR WITH BIRD
from prospective tenants A bluebird
sat looking at one OF them for Learly
two minutes the other day, and, before
they had been up half an hour. one was
inspected rather carefully by a chicka-
dee, who stood in the doorway for sew
eral seconds. as though trying to
fathom. with his beady eyes. the black
ness within. | have strong hopes thai
he viii decide to take this house, for it
was made on purpose for him, and Gov
cred vel with the white birch bark
which he seems to like so well.
Have your bird -houses ready as early
ds possible; some birds are suspicious OF
new features appearing in an otherwise
familiar landscape. No one need be
afraid to try to make a bird box; man.
a si~x-year-old boy knows enough OF car
pentry to make homes which will meet
the requirements of several kinds OF
birds. Nor does the operation require.
a chest of tools; an old saw of any Kind,
a hammer and a few nails are the only
implements which are really necessary
though the finished product might look
neater II to these were added a square
and an auger with bits of different sizes
the latter fortmaking doorways to the
dwellings,. One of the simplest bird
houses which one can make consists OF
d box of which the four sides are four
shingles, and the top and bottom two
square bits of wood to which the
shingles are nailed. If a hole about one
and a half inches square is now cut in
the end of one of the shingles. TO serve
as an entrance, and the box nailed
against a tree trunk or the side of a
nor than likely that it will be occu-
pied by the first bluebird who finds it in
season. Very often it is not necessary
to go to even this little trouble; any
small box large enough TO accommodate
4 bluebird's, wren's or tree-swallow's
nest will answer. A small starch box is
the very thing. A shingle or a piece of
board should be nailed on top in such a
way that it projects for several inches;
this will serve as a root and prevent The
rain from driving into the entrance.
Mr.. Il. II. Forbush. state ornithologist
for Massachusetts. gives the following
figures for the sizes of entrance holes:
For c~hickadees. one and %one-fourth
inches; for wrens, one and seven
eighths inches: for bluebirds and swal-
one and one-half inches; for mar
tins. two and one-half inches; for
nickers and screech owls. three and one
half inches.
But in order to draw a great number
of bird tenants, and at the same time
get the greatest amount of pleasure
from their presence, one-should do a lit
tie more than simply put up houses for
them to nest in. As human tenants are
likely TO rent a house If there is a bath
in ii. SO birds are more apt to occupy
our houses if there is water to be had
on the premises. All of our land birds
drink, | believe, and many of them are
very fond of bathing. so that If they are
with shallow dishes of water
set in the lawn. flush with the
grass, or let into the top of an old
they are likely to stay and enjoy
themselves.
Then. birds are apt to be prejudiced
in favor of any place where they find an
of food. Bird-seed scattered
along the edges of the walks and in the
door yard are acceptable TO many
even in the spring. Fruits and
berries of different kinds. especially the
ones, prove very attractive to GER