Bird Houses Boys Can Build

Years ago a country boy heard or read that if a simple box having a hole of a certain size were set upon a post in March or early April it would not be long before bluebirds would be around to see if the place would do as a summer cottage. So he took an old paint keg such as white lead is sold in, nailed a cover across the top, cut an opening in the side and then placed it on a post ten or twelve feet high. Only a day or two passed before a soft call-note was heard, a flash of blue, and the songster had arrived. His mate came a few days later and the paint keg with its tenants became the center of interest in my life. A second brood was reared in midsummer and when the cool days of September came a fine flock left for the South. Each year the house was occupied until the post decayed and the paint keg fell down, but in memory the sad call-note is still heard when spring comes, for it is house hunting time once more, and the bluebirds are looking for the home they had known.

That boys elsewhere may know the joy of the companionship of birds, this little book is written. Birds will come and live near the houses of men whenever food and water are to be had, safety from enemies is given, and when homes are built for them to replace the shelters nature offered before men came with their cultivated fields and crowded cities. The following pages give pictures and drawings of houses that boys have built and in which birds have lived. These houses are planned for the species of birds that have become accustomed to civilization so that they will inhabit the houses put up for them.

The author is indebted to Professor Chas. A. Bennett of Bradley Institute and Mr. L. L. Simpson of The Manual Arts Press for helpful suggestions and encouragement; to John Friese for making the drawings; and to the following for the use of the originals of the illustrations which tell most of the story.

Edward G. Anderson, Seattle, Wash. Figs. 32, 33, 34, 36, 39, 54, 55, 56, 57.

Frank H. Ball, Pittsburgh, Pa. Figs. 12, 29, 45, 66, 67.

Leon H. Baxter, St. Johnsbury, Vt. Figs. 21, 22.

F. D. Crawshaw, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. Figs. 11, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44.

Donald V. Ferguson, St. Paul, Minn. Figs. 9, 28, 38, 62.

Geo. G. Grimm, Baltimore, Md. Fig. 14.

C. M. Hunt, Milton, Mass. Figs. 46, 52.

H. A. Hutchins, Cleveland, O. Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.

Elmer Knutson, St. Cloud, Minn. Figs. 30, 31.

National Association of Audubon Societies, 1974 Broadway, New York City. Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Chas. Tesch, Milwaukee, Wis. Fig. 64.

The Crescent Co., Toms River, N. J. Figs. 35, 49, 50.

United States Department of Agriculture Bulletins; Figs. 20, 51, 65.

Youths Companion, Perry Mason Co., Boston, Mass. Figs. 58, 59, 60, 61.

ALBERT F. SIEPERT.

Peoria, Ill., March, 1916.