Things to Know and Do 251 Another way is to split the log in half and scoop out the interior of each half (land in). When nailed together again it
makes a commodious chamber, about five inches wide and a
foot or more deep. Another plan is: Take a five-inch limb of green chestnut, elm, or any other tough-barked tree. ' Cut a piece eighteen inches long, make a long bevel on one end (e). Now carefully split the bark on one side and peel it. Then saw the peeled wood into three pieces (f g h), leave out g and put the bark on again. Cut a hole in the bark on the longest side, at the place farthest from the beveled end (x in e), and your bird nest is finished. The beveled end is there to make it easily nailed up; when in place, it is as at i. The front—that is, the side where the door is— should always be the under one; and the door in each case should be near the top. But these methods presuppose a fine big stick of wood. I have more of ten found it convenient to work with scraps. Here is one easy way that I have long used: From a four or five inch round log saw ofi two sections each two inches thick, or failing a log, cut out two circles from a two-inch plank, for top and bottom parts (like i and h); then using six or seven laths instead of bark, make a hollow cylinder (j). Cover the hollow cylinder with a large piece of bark and cut the hole (k). Cut your entry at the top, half on each of a pair of laths. Cover the whole thing with bark nailed neatly on; or failing the bark, cover it with canvas and paint a dull green mottled with black and ay. This last has the advantage of giving most room in a small log. Of course, if one can find a hollow limb, all this work is saved. By way of variety this one can be put up hanging from a nail, for which the wire loop is made. To a great extent the size of hole regulates the kind of bird, as most birds like a tight fit. For wrens make it about one inch; for bluebirds and tree- swallows one and one half inches; for martins two and one half inches. Sparrow-proof Bird Box When I was a boy, I stumbled on a plan for keeping sparrows out of bird boxes and have recently revived it with success. It consists in making a conspicuous trap door to cover the entrance hole. Watch for a sparrow to enter, then pull the string, catch the sparrow and use him as seems best. After one or two sparrows have been captured in this
