Teachers' Leaflet. 



563 



may be lieaid now and then. In winter the chickadee feeds largely upon the eggs 

 of insects, and these insects are all injurious to trees. Explain to the pupils that 

 insects must pass the winter in some form, and many of them pass it in the egg, 

 which the mother has placed on the twigs or branches of the trees; some insects 

 pass the winter as pupre encased in cocoons and hidden under the crevices of the 

 bark. The chickadee is a hunter of insect eggs and feeds largely upon the eggs 

 of plant-lice, lent caterpillars, and fall canker-worms; however, it does not stop 

 to inquire the name of the egg, but takes everything it can find. The pupils will 

 notice how busily the chickadees work, sometimes on top of twigs and sometimes 

 hanging head down while they examine a bud very closely to find eggs upon it. 

 It has been estimated that one chickadee will destroy five thousand five hundred 

 insect eggs in one da}'. It has been proven that orchards frequented by chicka- 

 dees arc much more free from insect pests than other orchards in the same 

 localit}'. The character of its food and its industry make the chickadee a friend 

 of the orchard and forest, and its spirit of good cheer makes it a friend of 

 whomsoever sees it and listens to its song. 



LESSON XXVL 



THE WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 



Purpose. — To induce the pupils to note the appearance of a nuthatch 

 carefully and to know it from the chickadee. 

 Observations. — 



I. What is the general color of the nuthatch 

 above and below ? 



The colors of the top and sides of the 



2. 

 head ? 



3- 



4- 



5- 

 6. 



7- 



The color of the throat and breast? 



Colors of bill, legs and feet? 



The color and markings of the wings ? 



Colors and markings of the tail? 



AMiat are the differences in color be- 

 tween the nuthatch and chickadee? 



8. What is the difference in shape between 

 the bill of the nuthatch and that of the chick 

 adee ? 



Facts for teachers. — The general color of this bird 

 is bluish-gray above, with white breast and reddish 

 beneath. The top of the head and the neck are glossy 

 black; the sides of the head are white as is the breast 

 so are the legs and feet. The wing feathers are dark brown edged with pale 

 gray. The upper middle tail feathers are bluish, like the back ; the others are 

 dark brown and spotted with white in such a manner that when the tail is spread 

 it has a large white patch on either side. The chickadee is brown in color while 

 the nuthatch is bluish-gray ; but the most striking difference is the black bib of 

 the chickadee, which the nuthatch lacks entirely. The bill of the cliickadee is 

 short, " a sharply pointed little pick just suited to taking off insect eggs," while 

 the bill of the nuthatch is long and slender, being as long or longer than the 

 bird's head. 



The nuthatch. 

 TIic bill is l)lackish and 



