Rural School Leaflet. 843 



which ones she oils most. Is she likely to oil her feathers just before 

 a rain? 



19. When you have an opportunity look at a fowl all plucked ready 

 for market or oven, and see how the wings of a bird correspond with 

 the front legs of an animal or the arms of a human being. 



20. Examine the wing of a hen with the feathers on. How are the 

 feathers arranged to press down on the air? How does a bird lift itself 

 in the air when it starts to fly? What does the wing press against? Can 

 you press against air? If you carry an umbrella on a windy day, which 

 catches more wind, the upper or the under side? Why? How does the 

 wing of a bird correspond to the umbrella? 



21. Examine a wing feather. Are the barbs equally long on each 

 side of the quill? Is the wing feather curved? Is the concave or convex 

 side uppermost on the wing? Why? Which way does the feather bend 

 most easily? 



22. If the bird flies by pressing its wings against the air on the down 

 stroke, why does it not push itself down on the up stroke? 



23. Look at a tail feather and see how it differs from a wing feather. 

 Does a hen when she is flying keep her tail closed or open like a fan? 

 Have you ever seen a young robin with tail not yet grown try to fly? 

 How did it act? Do you think a bird could sail through the air if it had 

 nothing to steer with? What is the bird's tail used for? 



24. Are the feathers of the hen beautiful in color? Which is the 

 more handsome, the hen or the rooster? Note the difference in shape 

 and color of the tail feathers of hen and rooster. Do the graceful, curv- 

 ing plumes in the tail of the rooster help him any in flight? Are they 

 stiff enough to act as a rudder? If they are of no use in flight nor in 

 keeping him warm nor in keeping off the rain, then what are these 

 beautiful plumes for? Is the rooster's plumage beside the tail ornaments 

 more beautiful than the hen's? 



25. Name all the ways in which feathers are useful to the hen. 



26. Observe the combs and wattles of the rooster and the hen. In 

 which are they the most showy? 



Lesson II 



THE HABITS OF THE HEN AND HER FAMILY 



Purpose. — To encourage the pupils to make careful observations of 

 the habits of the hen and thus lead them to observe other birds To 

 understand also the needs and care of domestic fowls. 



Material. — This lesson should be given a few questions at a time. 



