ior6 Rural School Leaflet. 



If most birds fly close we can hear the rush of air caused by the vibra- 

 tion of their stiff wing feathers. The feathers of owls are very soft 

 and make no sound so that they are enabled to hunt their prey noise- 

 lessly. 



Owls catch their prey with their talons, and if too large to swallow 

 whole, they tear it with their beaks; hence it is necessary that these 

 organs should be strong and sharp. 



Every farmer, depending upon the size of his farm, feeds, year in, 

 year out, hundreds or thousands of mice and other small mammals. 

 The owl by killing these mice saves the farmer the corn which would 

 otherwise be taken by the small rodents. 



Wild flowers. — This is a season of wild flowers. The children in your 

 community should be familiar with the name of every wild flower that 

 grows there. Names of out-of-door things open the way to literature, and 

 I believe that a deeper interest comes as soon as children know what 

 flowers are. Let the pupils make a book of wild flowers this year, with 

 compositions, drawings, and dried specimens of the flora of your region. 

 The covers may be made of manilla paper. If there is any flower they 

 can not name we shall be glad to identify it. In their book let the 

 children make a few statements regarding the wild flowers; where they 

 found them growing; whether they are plentiful in the neighborhood; 

 whether they found any insect visitors about the flowers, and the like. 

 Every schoolroom should have one or two reference books on wild 

 flowers. Mrs. Dana's " How to Know the Wild Flowers," published by 

 Chas. Scribner's Sons, and F. Schuyler Matnews' " Field Book of Amer- 

 ican Wild Flowers," G. P. Putnam's Sons, will be helpful. Have a 

 talk with the children on the protection of wild flowers. Let them 

 know that many beautiful spring blossoms, as the Arbutus, are being 

 exterminated because people carelessly drag tnem up by the roots and 

 gather all that they can find in one place. 



Birds. — It will be well to place on the board some facts concerning 

 the spring migration. Following is a list taken from Chapman's " Hand- 

 Book of Birds of Eastern North America," that will help children to 

 know what birds are likely to pass through or come to the community 

 in the springtime. - 



List of Birds Comprising the Spring Migration. 

 (Until April 20— -Approximate). 



Date of Arrival Date of Arrival 

 Feb. 15-Mar. 10 Purple Grackle Robin 



Rusty Grackle Bluebird 



Red-winged Blackbird Mar. 10-20 Woodcock 



