Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-08

boy knows enough of carpentry to make
homes which will meet the requirements of
several kinds of birds Nor does the opera
ton require a chest of tools; an old saw
OF any kind, hammer and few nails are
the only implements which are really neces-
sary, though the finished product might
look heater IL to these were added a square
and an auger with bits of different sizes
the latter for making doorways to the
dwellings. One of the simplest bird houses
which one can make consists of a 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 tree trunk or the side of a barn.
with the hole end uppermost, il Is more
than likely that IL will be occupied by the
first bluebird who finds it in season Very
often II is not necessary to go TO even this
little trouble; any small box large enough
TO accommodate a bluebirds. wren's or
tree swallows 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 il projects for several
inches; this will serve a roof and pre-
vent the rain from driving into the en-
trance. Mr.. E. II. Forbush, state ornitholo-
gist for Massachusetts. gives the following
figures for the sizes of entrance holes: For
chickadees one and onc-fourth inches; for
wrens, one and seven-eighths inches; for
bluebirds and swallows, one and one-half
inches; for martins. two and one-half
inches. for fiickers and screech owls, three
and one-half inches.
Cost Only Nominal.
Any one who has a little time to devote
to the subject may have a number of neat
bird houses built for a very few cents
apiece. The cheapest plan is to make
rough working drawings of such styles of
houses as one desires, and turn these over
to any woodworking shop or box factory,
with an order for several of each pattern.
Many a concern of this kind can make you
a dozen while you wait Afterward they
can either be painted stained or allowed
to weather a natural gray, which. as far
as the birds concerned, is about as
good a plan as any. 1t will be found a wise
plan to have on each house or box door
of some kind This will not only permit
the cleaning out of the box when necessary,
but will enable the landlord to look in on
his tenants occasionally.
But in order to draw a great number of
birds tenants, and at the same time get the
greatest amount of pleasure from their
presence, one should do little more than
simply put up houses for them to nest in.
AS human tenants are likely to rent
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, L believe. and many
of them are very fond of bathing, so that II
they are supplied with shallow dishes of
water, either set in the lawn. flush with the
grass or let into the top of an old stump
they are likely to stay and enjoy them
selves.
How to Procure Tenants
Then, birds are apt TO be prejudiced in
favor of any place where they find an album
dance of food. Bird seed scattered along the
edges of the walks and in the door yard are
acceptable to many species even In the
spring. Fruits and berries of different
kinds, especially the early ones, prove very
attractive to certain birds-robins, catbirds
and cedar waXwings. for eXample-and If
you want hummingbirds, all you have to
do is to plant such flowers, creepers and
shrubs they love to visit. The ruby
throat is fond of many flowers, both wild
and cultivated Honeysuckle, painted cup,
columbine, jewel weed. SALIVA, cardinal
flower, larkspur and trumpet creeper are
few of the flowers which have a special at
traction for the ruby throat, and ! have
seen six of these little birds probing the
flowers of one wegeia shrub at the same
time. ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.