Teachers' Leaflet. 597 



A cavity about ten inches deep and six inches in height and width 

 will give a pair of bluebirds room for building a nest. The opening 

 should not be more than two or two and one-half inches in diameter 

 and there should be nu threshold; this latter is a very particular point. 

 If there is a threshold or place to alight upon the sparrows are likely to 

 dispute with the bluebirds and drive them away, but the sparrow does 

 not care for a place which has no threshold. The box for the bluebird 

 may be made out of old boards or may be a section of an old tree trunk ; 

 it should be fastened from six to fifteen feet above the ground, and should 

 be in nowise noticeable in color from its surroundings. To protect the 

 nest from cats barbed wire should be wound around the tree or post 

 below the box. If the box for the nest is placed upon a post the barbed 

 wire will also protect it from the squirrels. 



LESSON CLXVII. 



A STUDY OF THE BLUEBIRd's COLORS. 



Purpose. — To make the pupils observe carefully the colors of the 

 bluebird and learn to distinguish the sexes and also to distinguish the 

 bluebird from the indigo bird. 



This should be an observation lesson suggested a week ahead of the 

 conference. The points to be observed are, the head, back, wings and 

 tail are blue, the breast red, the under parts whitish ; that the mother bird 

 is duller in color, grayish-blue above, and with breast paler. Because of 

 the red breast the pupils will naturally compare it with the robin. It is 

 well to carry on this comparison with the young birds, for the nestling 

 bluebirds have the back spotted with white, and the breast and throat 

 whitish mottled with brown. It is an interesting fact that when our 

 Pilgrim fathers landed in America the bluebird made them think of 

 the English robin and they called it the " blue robin." 



LESSON CLXVII. 



THE HABITS OF THE BLUEBIRD. 



Purpose. — To call the pupils' attention to the habits of the bluebird 

 and to teach them how valuable it is to farmers and fruit growers. 



The bluebird, like the robin, winters in flocks in the Southern States. 

 Unlike many of the other birds, the bluebird carries its beautiful song 

 south with it, and its soft, curling note may be heard in almost any part 

 of the Gulf region during winter. The food of the bluebird consists of 

 caterpillars, ground beetles, grasshoppers, crickets and moths. In winter 

 its food is largely wild berries, especially the berries of the mistletoe. 



