K1CE] ST.4 TISTICS FROM COLLEGE CLASSES IN BIRD STUDY 277 



From Table 3 one also obtains a striking impression of the popu- 

 lar ignorance of our common birds. It is hard to believe that a 

 group of college students should, on the average, know only 2 1 species; 

 it is almost impossible to believe that even a single student should 

 know but four species. Yet the student knowing but four species 

 was closely followed by another reporting but five, while fifteen (about 

 12 per cent, of the entire number) were acquainted with 10 birds or 

 less. 



In conclusion, two familiar, perhaps trite, propositions may be 

 urged again on the strength of the evidence cited in the foregoing 

 paragraphs. Both are applicable to all branches of nature-study, 

 and emphasize alike the need for this line of work and its promise. 



1. Unless their attention is definitely directed toward the common 

 phenomena of nature, very many persons will go through life without 

 a sight or a suspicion of the fascinating interest and beauty with 

 which they are surrounded. 



2. Even a short course in a single line of nature-study may awaken 

 the attention of such persons so that, having received the key, they 

 may translate nature's cipher, and may come more and more to see 

 and to hear and to understand. 



