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Home Nature-Study Course. 



THE BLACK BIRDS. 



Preliminary li'Ork. — As the black birds are among our earliest visitors in the 

 spring and as they come in flocks and beset our leafless trees like punctuation 

 marks and squeak like musical wheelbarrows, they naturally attract much atten- 

 tion. What they are, where they came from, where they are going, and what 

 they are going to do are the questions which naturally interest the pupils. This 

 lesson should be given when there are plenty of black birds to observe. 



Cozvbirds. 



LESSON LXXV. 

 the black birds. 

 Purpose. — To teach the pupils to distinguish the species of black birds 

 and note closely their habits. 

 Ohscri'ations. — • 



(i). What is the date when the black birds 

 first appear in the spring? 



(2). Do they appear ni flocks? 

 (3). How large is the black bird compared 

 with the robin ? 



(4). What is the color of the head, neck and 

 breast ? 



(5). What is the color of back, wings and tail ? 

 (6). Is there any red or yellow on the wings? 

 (7). What is its song? 

 (8). How does it act while singing? 

 (9). Describe the use of the tail in flight. 

 (10). What is the color of the eye? 



(11). When on the ground what is the black bird doing? 

 (12). Does it nm like the robin, or hop or walk? 

 (13). Are there in the flock some birds which are lighter or duller 

 in color than the others ? 



Pacts for teachers. — All tlic lilack birds have the haliit of walking while on 

 the ground. The males also have the hal)it of spreading the wings and tail a 

 little when they give their song. The female cow bird and red winged black 

 bird are not black, but may be identified by the association with the black males 

 in flocks. The tail of black birds is long and is used very obviously as a steering 

 organ during flight. We have in New York State four species of l)lack birds 

 more or less common. These are the Crackles, the Rusty Black Bird, the Cow 

 Bird and the Red-winged Black Bird. They may be identified by the following 

 table : 



A. Birds larger than the robin. 



b. Back, head, neck iridescent showing bronze-purple, green and 



blue : eye bright yellow — ATale gracklc. 

 hh. Back bluish-black with no metallic reflections — Female 



grackle. 



