The boys felt that they were ready for business, and Ralph suggested that they had provided enough weather vanes and windmills, but had made no provisions for the birds.

The cat, that arch enemy of the native birds, had driven the robins, martins, and wrens all away. Each year some of these brave little birds started homes in the trees near the house only to have their families devoured as soon as they were hatched.

A bird house to be attractive need not be very pretentious, but it must absolutely be cat-proof, or the birds will inspect it carefully from all points of view and leave it severely alone. A nest well hidden in the tree foliage or shrubbery is not nearly so conspicuous as a brightly painted house fastened to the limbs of a tree. The side of a barn or outhouse, far enough down from the roof so that the cat cannot reach it, or a tall pole covered on the upper part with tin, so that the feline bird hunter cannot gain a foothold, are about the only safe places for a house which the birds will actually adopt. The first house our woodworkers manufactured is shown in Fig. 137.

This was a single or one-family house, and its construction was very simple.

The list of material follows:

The first piece, 10 × 6¹/₂ inches, was simply squared up for the bottom. The two pieces for the sides, 7¹/₂ × 3 inches, were squared up, and one edge of each planed to a 45-degree bevel, to engage with the roof boards.

The latter were squared up, and nailed together at right angles with 1¹/₄-inch brads.

The two ends, 5¹/₂ × 4¹/₂ inches, were carefully laid out as shown in the drawing, sawed, and planed to the lines with square edges.

In the end which was to contain the circular door a hole 1³/₄ inches in diameter was bored with its centre two inches from the bottom line. This required the services of the extension bit, and, to avoid splitting the wood, as soon as the spur of the bit showed on the further side, the wood was turned about, and the hole finished from the other side.

The house was next turned upside down, and fastened in the bench vise. Holes were drilled along the sides of the bottom piece ³/₄ inch in from the edge—three on each side—countersunk, and the piece fastened to the sides with 1-inch No. 8 screws. The top pieces already nailed together were now nailed in position on the sides and ends with 1-inch brads.

The pole they used was 13 feet long and about 3 inches in diameter at the small end. It was rounded at this end by using a draw knife. (Fig. 138). A block of ⁷/₈-inch pine was bored out, and fitted snugly over the end of the pole. This block was then removed, and four holes bored through it for screws.

Before replacing the block on the top of the pole a cut was made across the end of the pole about two inches deep, by means of the rip saw.

The block was replaced, and wooden wedges driven into the saw cut. This fastened the block securely on the end of the pole, and after making sure that it was level, the bird house was fastened to the block by four 1¹/₄-inch screws from the under side.

A piece of sheet tin was wound around just under the house to discourage pussy, and the pole set into the ground about three feet, bringing the under side of the house ten feet above the ground.

A double or two-family house of similar proportions was built next, as shown in Fig. 139. The list of material called for:

The construction was the same as before, each end having a door, and the partition of course being solid. The block for supporting the house on the pole was larger, being 8 × 5 × 1¹/₄ inches, and called for six 1¹/₂-inch No. 10 screws, to secure it to the under side of the floor. Harry wanted to make it more complete by adding a small wind vane, but Ralph said it might frighten the birds, so it was omitted.

Of course larger and more ornamental houses may be built, but where there are too many families in such close proximity there is apt to be trouble, while houses that are too conspicuous do not appeal to the beautiful American wild birds that we want to attract. With the English sparrow it does not matter so much. For these birds, a tenement house against the side of a barn may be built easily, in the form shown in Fig. 139.

This may be made any length, each door leading to a compartment separated from the others by partitions. Make as many pieces plus one as there are to be compartments, apartments, or flats; have the bottom project as shown in side view for a perch and walk, and have the roof also project to shed rain.

If not fastened from the inside of the barn by stout screws, this house must be secured to a shelf, or by brackets.

The side view shows a simple shelf made of a back piece secured to the side of the barn by screws or nails, a plain shelf nailed to this back piece, and two wooden brackets. If iron brackets are used, both the shelf and back piece may be omitted, the brackets being fastened to the under side of the bird house and to the siding of the barn by screws.

For birds like the high-hole, or flicker, a piece of hollow log, or an elongated box fastened securely to the side of a pole, made cat proof, is very acceptable. This should not be painted, but should be provided with a door on the side and a perch. (Fig. 137.) The opening should be about three inches for these large birds, and the location should be as secluded as possible. Any number of devices will suggest themselves, but always remember the cat, and study the location from the bird point of view. The martins and swallows are especially to be encouraged, as they are wonderful destroyers of insects.

One device, especially grateful to these feathered friends in hot weather, is a pan of water, in a place where they can drink and bathe without being eternally on the watch for that crouching enemy, who is always stalking them—Tabby.

A pedestal with a platform about four feet above the ground will do nicely, and it can be placed so close to the house that you can watch them, and enjoy their ablutions almost as much as they do. (Fig. 140.)

The construction is too simple to require an explanation.