iii6 Rural School Leaflet 



The hairy woodpecker looks much like the downy, but is much larger — 

 about the size of a robin. His outer tail feathers are entirely white, 

 while those of the downy are barred with black. 



The white-breasted nuthatch is about the size of an English sparrow. 

 The general color as seen in the field is bluish gray above, with top of 

 head and neck black and with white underparts. This bird is some- 

 thing of an acrobat and can travel upside down as easily as right side up. 

 Sometimes he goes spirally around a great bole. 



The chickadee is more than an inch smaller than the English sparrow. 

 He is gray in color. His bill is short. He is a bit of feathered energy with 

 the happiest of notes. The chickadee is often seen with woodpeckers 

 and nuthatches. Chapman, in speaking of the woodpeckers, nuthatches, 

 and chickadees, says: 



' Few birds are easier to identify. The Woodpecker pecks, the Chick- 

 adee calls ' Chickadee,' while the Nuthatch running up and down the 

 tree trunks assumes attitudes no bird outside his family would think of 

 attempting. His powers of speech are in no wise disturbed by his often 

 inverted position, and he accompanies his erratic clamberings by a con- 

 versational twitter or occasionally a loud nasal ' yank, yank' which 

 frequently tells us of his presence before we see him." 



The children should be taught to find out by observation the different 

 kinds of food that birds seem to like best. In midwinter many schools 

 prepare a Christmas tree for the birds. An evergreen near the school 

 is chosen or, if there is no evergreen near, a few branches may be fastened 

 to the window ledges. On the tree the children place suet or beef fat. 

 Seeds and peanuts may be scattered near. A shelf may be placed for 

 food for the birds. If the food is provided until the birds find it, a number 

 will come frequently and thus give opportunity for study on th3 school 

 or home grounds. 



From out the white and pulsing storm 

 I hear the snow-birds calling; 

 The sheeted winds stalk o'er the hills, 

 And fast the snow is fallitig. 



Like children laughing at their play 

 I hear the birds a-twittcr, 

 What care they that the skies are dim 

 Or that the cold is bitter? 



On twinkling wings they eddy past 

 At home amid the drifting, 

 Or seek the hills and weedy fields 

 Where fast the snow is sifting." 



JOHN BURROUGHS 



