Teachers' Leaflet. 595 



Hoofs," pp. 203-215; "The Life of Animals," Ingersoll, pp. 298-333; 

 " The Trail of the Sandhill Stag," Thompson Seton ; " The School of 

 the Woods," Long, pp. 253-287; ".Wilderness Ways," Long, p. 91; 

 " Forest Ways," Hulbert, p. 201 ; " Lives of the Hunted,' Thompson 

 Seton; " Neighbors with Claws and Hoofs," Johonnot, pp. 203-215. 



THE ROBIN. 



Preliminary Work.— There is one time of year when all of us in northern 

 cHmates are especially interested in the robin, and that is when it first appears in 

 the spring. If we begin then to study the bird, the children will require no outside 

 stimulant. While in the lower grades the observations should be a matter of con- 

 versation with the teacher, in the upper grades they should form the basis for notes 

 in the field notebook. Some of the pupils at least will become interested in writing 

 a story of some particular robin or pair of robins; as soon as the nests are begun 

 the individuals are easily identified and, therefore, the notes should be made with 

 accuracy. Few of us have any definite idea of the every year repeated storj' of 

 the robin's nest; therefore, let this be an effort for definite knowledge. If the 

 pupils have no note-books they may be made out of blank paper with a robin pic- 

 tured on the cover. If possible, let the pupils color this picture from observing 

 the bird. The following is the sequence of observation for such a note-book: 



LESSON CLXV. 



THE ROBIN NOTE-BOOK. 



Date of first appearance in the spring. Describe colors of head, eye, 

 beak, wings, tail, breast, legs, feet. When on the ground does it run or 

 hop. What does it eat when it first comes in the spring? Call attention 

 to the fact that it lives upon Virginia Creeper berries and other berries 

 of this sort until the frost is out of the ground, so that it is able to get 

 at the earth worms. Where do the robins spend the winter? The robins 

 winter in our Southern States, the Gulf States especially, in large flocks. 

 Sometimes robins stay in New York all winter if they succeed in finding 

 food, that is, winter berries, etc. The male robins appear first ; note 

 that they do not sing until the females come. Note the difference in 

 color between male and female ; she has not the black head and is duller 

 in color. Note how early the robins sing in the morning and how late in 

 evening. The date of beginning the nest. What are the first suggestions 

 in the construction of the nest? Note when the plastering of the nest 

 with mud is done and how it is done. Do both birds build the nest ? 

 How long after the nest is begun before the first egg is laid? Describe 

 the eggs. Do both parents take turns at sitting? Does the mother or 

 father bird stay on the nest at night? The date when the first birdling 

 hatches. Do both parents feed the young birds? How and what do they 



