[Illustration: Illustrated capital B]
Birds are inveterate bathers. Bathing is the daily habit of Robins,
Catbirds, goldfinches, Song Sparrows, and most other small species,
whenever facilities are available. Artificial baths are most important
where other bathing places are distant or inadequate. In times of
drought, birds will resort so eagerly to baths as to form an almost
continuous daily procession.
The bird bath lends itself to endless variations in size, shape, style,
material, and cost. Often one may find a large boulder which, at the
expense of moving to the desired spot, will prove a ready-made bath if
it has a shallowly concave side. Or such a water basin may be chipped
out of a rock by a stone mason. Smaller stones, flattened and more or
less scooped, are common along many streams. One of these stone slabs,
mounted on a pile of supporting stones, makes an excellent bath. Failing
that or as a matter of taste, a massive shallow basin may be cast in
cement to take the place of the natural slab. A pool may be provided by
lining with cement and surrounding with stones a prepared spot in lawn
or garden. See illustrations. If desired, running water may be piped to
any style of bath. Whatever type the bath may be, the following rules
strictly apply.
1. Depth of water should be graduated from nothing at the edge of bath
or pool to not more than 2½ inches at its deepest; except that in the
case of the larger ground pools it may be graduated up to 5 inches.
2. The bath must be swept or sponged out daily or as often as it
becomes much befouled.