Home Nature-Study Course. 399 



shape and appearance as those at the tip? Which part of the feather lies under- 

 neath? 



48. Describe the different uses to the birds of the base and the tip of this 

 feather. 



Wing feather. — 



49. Are the barbs on one side as long as they are on the other? 



50. Which side lies on the outer side and which on the inner side of the wing? 



51. Is the quill of the feather curved? 



52. Which side is uppermost in the wing, the convex or the concave side? 

 Take a quill in one hand and press the tip against the other. Which way does 

 it bend easiest, toward the convex or the concave side? 



53. What had this rigidity or flexibiUty to do with the flight of the bird? How 

 does the bird lift itself in the air? 



54. If the bird flies by pressing the wings against the air on the down stroke, 

 why does it not push itself downward with its wings on the up stroke? 



55. What is the shape and arrangement of the feathers so as to avoid pushing 

 the bird back to earth when it lifts its wings? 



Tail feather. — 



56. Is the quill of the tail feather curved? If so, is the curve like that in the 

 wing feather? 



57. Are the barbs on each side of the quill equal in length and similar in arrange- 

 ment? 



58. What is the use of the tail to the bird when flying? 



59. What other uses than that of flight has the tail feather in rooster, chimney 

 swift, flycatcher, peacock? 



Other questions on feathers. — 



60. What is the general difference in color of plumage between the hen and 

 rooster, the turkey gobbler and the turkey hen, the drake and the duck, the male 

 and female oriole? 



61. Why is this difference? What is the utility of feather ornamentation? 



62. Why should not the female be brightly colored as well as the male? 



63. Name all the uses of feathers. 



64. What is a pin feather? 



65. How does a feather shed water? How does a hen oil her feathers? 



A STUDY OF BIRDS' NESTS. 



Much interest in bird architecture and much knowledge of bird 

 skill may be derived by studying the birds' nests, which are easily 

 found in winter, after the protecting foliage has gone. Such nests 

 studied carefully may, in many cases, be identified by the use of 

 Mr. Dugmore's admirable book, "Bird Homes." 



Let each member of the Nature-Study class find some such nest 

 and describe it according to the following scheme, so that I may 

 be able to identify it: 



66. Where you found the nest. 



(a) If on the ground, describe locality. 



(6) If on a plant, shrub or tree, tell the species if possible. 



