Part 7

Take the bottom piece E and draw light lines from corner to corner, and with a dot locate the points where we are to bore our drainage holes.

In boring these take care not to split through on the opposite side.

Locate the holes for ventilation next and bore these carefully.

Take our back brace F next and draw a light pencil line from end to end, through the center, and locate the holes for nailing to the tree 1 inch in from either end. The holes for screwing piece F to the box are 3½ inches beyond these outer holes. Bore carefully.

Bore the entrance hole with an expansive bit set so as to bore a hole 1½ inch in diameter. The center for this hole is 3 inches down from the top and 4¼ inches from either side.

If the house is to be painted it should be thoroughly sandpapered with No. ½ sandpaper, going with the grain.

Take the sides and bevel them to fit the front and back pieces, that is plane them so that when they are placed in proper position against the front and rear, the edges will follow the same sweep as the eaves and the bottom edge. All cutting should be finished before sandpapering so as not to dull our plane blade with the fine particles of sand left in the wood by the sandpaper.

Nail the sides to the front and rear, using 1¼ inch brads, placing about five on each edge, and taking care that they strike fair in the center of the edge to prevent splitting.

Next nail on roof C, having the rear edge flush with the rear of the box allowing all projection to come in front. Have ridge edge just level with peak. Next nail on roof B, seeing that it overlaps and is nailed to the edge of C.

Next attach piece F to the rear of the box with screws, allowing equal projection above and below the box. Take the bottom E and screw on an inch butt hinge to the under side at the middle point of the rear edge. Then place in position and screw the other part of hinge to F, taking care that the bottom fits tightly against the bottom edges of the box.

Retain in front by means of a small flat hook and eye as shown.

Our box is now ready to be either painted or covered with bark as desired.

If it is to be bark covered use a pair of snip shears to cut the bark to the size required. It is generally a good plan to cut the bark a little large and trim off after attaching it to the box. Use 4 oz. tacks, using as few as possible. Have the bark run uniformly in the same direction over the box. Bark directly over all holes and when finished cut these out with a sharp knife.

If a house is to be painted and have a bark roof only, paint first and allow to dry, perhaps giving a second coat and then place the bark on the roof.

This same method of construction as described will be practically the same for any of the houses shown.

Lumber should be used that will withstand the weather. Cypress, spruce and soft pine are perhaps the best.

WINTER CARE OF THE BIRDS.

If you wish to attract birds about the house during the winter, do not wait until the ground is covered with snow, but begin in the Fall to scatter hayseed from the barn or stable floor, on the bare ground about the yard.

Millet or any bird seed will do as well. Hang some pieces of suet or beef-trimmings on the branches of the trees beyond the reach of cats and dogs. If at first these pieces are widely scattered at points radiating from the house as a center, your success should be assured. Your lures will keep best at this season if tied on the shade side of a tree trunk; but later in the winter they should be put on the sunny side. They should be well wound to limbs with twine, or covered with wire netting, so that neither jays or crows can carry them off bodily.

They are now ready to attract and hold birds that might otherwise pass on to the south. The birds may not find the food at once, but usually they will find it sooner or later. When the chickadees have discovered it we are ready for the next move.

Fresh meat or suet is now put up on the trees nearest the house, to accustom the birds to coming there.

Many types of feeders can be made, varying the plain wood shelf, to the artistic food shelters of natural limbs and bark. Some feeders can be placed on movable pivots on poles with extended vanes in front so that the wind will always cause them to be in a sheltered position. This type of feeding shelf, Fig. 4, and others are shown on Plate 20.

The window shelf shown on Plate 20, Fig. 1, is convenient and can be easily watched and tended. Fig. 2 shows a feeding stick. Melted suet is poured into the holes and allowed to cool and the birds eat from the outside.

The cocoanut larder is inexpensive and easily set up. One end of a cocoanut is broken in as shown and the birds have access to the meat. Fig. 4 is one type of rustic feeder which has proven popular.

The following birds have been attracted about local feeders: Chickadees, Fig. 3, nuthatches, woodpeckers, juncos, and even the wary jay. Figure 13 shows a simple form of feeding shelf with sides of glass. A hairy woodpecker can be seen just below the upper box.

Corn, suet, scraps of meat, crumbs from the table, pieces of doughnut, nuts, sunflower seed, frozen milk and many other food materials may be utilized, if one wishes to experiment.

These methods of attracting and domesticating the birds will be found full of interest, and in some cases our efforts will be rewarded by having some little feathered ball jump fearlessly on our fingers for a choice titbit.

The birds will furnish instruction and amusement to the household throughout the year and a vast amount of good may be accomplished in this manner, adding greatly to the comfort and happiness of our wild bird friends.