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Bats are every bit as voracious as mar- tins and swallows and are no more trouble- some. They are are probably in your neighborhood already, unbeknownst to you because they are nocturnal and diffr cult to spot. Most of these winter visitors are seed eaters but swallows and purple martins are partial to insects and they will repay you a thousand fold for any accommodation you provide by literally vacuuming thousands of insects (particularly mosquitoes) out of your immediate environment each night. The rewarding may come in the form of appreciative feathered visitors of every shape and hue, especially during the long winter months when those who stay with us need some form of public assistance. Building bird houses and feeders is a hobby that is politically correct, environ- mentally friendly, artistically challenging and very rewarding. These houses are There is a big market out there for poo Remember nearly all of the common wood glues are water resistant, not water- proof. You are better off using aluminum. brass or coated nails and screws. If you have to use glue you can choose between two-part epoxy or resorcinol. both expensive in comparison to white or yellow carpenter's glue. When buying nail. get box nails rather than common Other types should be used only on the inside of bird houses and feeders if you want them to last any length of time with- out getting shabby. A word of caution about plywood. Only specially marked "exterior grade" ply- wood has the kind of glue that enables it to stand up to outdoor moisture. Even materials are cheap or free since you are dealing with small dimensions, e.g. lumber yard scraps. fruit and veg- etable crates that supermarkets have thrown out and also old crates and ply- wood behind furniture stores. storey masterpieces. You don't need a lot of equipment to get started; in fact it is possible to work only with hand tools, but you will certain- ly appreciate a jig saw as a first purchase. ored turn-of-the-century Victorian three Such pieces depend upon elegant work- manship and materials or perhaps inspired flights of artistic fancy as in some I have seen that imitate Scandinavian churches and others that resemble the "painted ladies" of San Francisco, those multicol- ple who want them as conversation piece or simply as decoration, even indoors. Birds are apparently indifferent to col- ors but very particular about the size of the entrance openings, the height of the house above ground and the size and the number of rooms in a house. er, n sure for the birds Around stl,ttt, Jlgttj, Write them at 2 Park Ave., New York, NT 10016 for a free catalogue of a vast array of first class books. box nailed onto an isolated post or tree on a country road. Purple martins are gregari- ous and prefer condominiums at least l5 feet above the ground with entrances 21/4" in diameter leading into rooms that are six inches square. Remember, "lf you build it they will come," especially in late spring. Sparrows and starlings will take over all available space if it is there in late winter.Where can you get all this vital information to accom- modate birds? The best book I have found is Making Fancy Birdhouses and Feeders published at $13.50 Cdn. by that source of great books on woodworking Sterling Bluebirds are loners who like t nailed onto an isolated mm 1 a simple