596 Home Nature-Study Course. 



feed them ? Describe carefully how the robin listens for an earth worm 

 and pulls it out. Does each pair of robins have a territory of their 

 own for hunting earth worms? The editor has observed carefully for 

 many years the robins which build around her home, and she is of the 

 opinion that each pair has its own hunting ground, which is not infringed 

 upon by others. Note the date when the first bird comes out of the nest. 

 Note its irregular flight and lead the pupils to see that this is caused 

 not only by half-grown wings but also by lack of a tail to steer with. 

 Note how long the parents continue to feed the robins after they leave 

 the nest. Describe the colors of the full fledged young robin and compare 

 with those of the parents. Note that the spotted breast of the young 

 shows the robin is allied to the thrushes. If the robins raise a second 

 brood do they use the same nest? Usually the nest becomes so infested 

 with bird lice that it is not used a second time in the same season. The 

 note-book should be completed during the summer months with special 

 attention to the time when the birds moult, and should also contain 

 mention of the appearance of the robins in the fall and their final disap- 

 pearance from the locality. Notes should be made on the robin's songs, 

 of which he has several quite distinct. Note how the robins scold cats, 

 and the peculiar low squeak they make when hawks or crows are in sight. 

 References. — " Birds in Their Relation to Man," Weed & Dearborn, 

 p. 90 ; Bulletin, " The Food of Nestling Birds," U. S. Dept. of Agr. ; 

 " The History of the Robins," Trimmer ; " Bird Life," Chapman ; " Field 

 Book of Wild Birds and Their Music," Mathews ; " Birds Through an 

 Opera Glass," Merriam, pp. 4-10; "True Stories of Birds," Miller, pp. 

 37-44; Longman's "Ship," Literary Reader HI, p. no. Field Book 

 of .Wild Birds and Their Music, Mathews, p. 248. 



THE BLEBIRD. 



Preliminary Work. — Probably no bird note is so fraught with the essence of 

 springtime as is that of the bluebird. Its .song and its exquisite colors render the 

 interest of the child in the bluebird as fresh and, certain as is his interest in the 

 spring. This natural interest may be augmented by teaching the pupils how to 

 build boxes for the bluebirds to nest in and thus secure them for neighbors. 



LESSON CLXVI. 



THE bluebird NEST. 



Purpose. — To make the pupils acquainted with the nesting habits of 

 the bluebird and methods for enticing it to nest near their houses. 



The bluebirds usually build their nest in a hole in a tree or post ; they 

 make it of grass and place it ordinarily within ten or fifteen feet of the 

 ground. An old apple orchard is a favorite building site. 



