1903] Nature Study — No. 4. 97 



NATURE STUDY— No. IV. 



Bird Study. 

 By W. A. Dent, Whitby, Ont. 



In connection with the widespread awakening of interest in 

 Nature Study, some attention has been and is being- directed to 

 Birds and their habits. Birds are among the most conspicuous, 

 attractive, and easily observed objects in Nature, and, when 

 attention is once drawn to them, the student is led into other 

 avenues of Nature Study which will be found pleasant and profit- 

 able to pursue. A fairly comprehensive and accurate knowledge 

 of most of our common birds is more readily obtained than would 

 at first sight appear possible, and many good books are now to be 

 had which render identification comparatively easy. Of these 

 Chapman's "Bird Life," with coloured plates, and Chapman's 

 " Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America," are probably as 

 good as any. These books are useful in identifying birds, and 

 perhaps also as a guide to their study ; but, to be of any value 

 educationally, our further knowledge must come from a study of 

 the living birds in their haunts and homes. 



While children probably do not consciously love nature, they 

 have a curiosity to know more of the living things they see about 

 them, and there can be no doubt that if children were taught more 

 of the things they wish to know and fewer dead uninteresting 

 facts, better educational results would be secured. 



A bird which is likely to be more or less familiar to children, 

 particularly in rural schools, is the Bobolink, and a study of its 

 life history will be found most captivating and instructive. The 

 beauty of his plumage and the contrast with the duller dress of the 

 female, his rollicking joyous song, his skill in concealing his nest, 

 his extensive migrations, in the course of which he visits many 

 countries, can be woven into many interesting lessons. The 

 Meadow Lark is an expert decoy, and the sight of a bird 

 endeavouring to decoy an enemy from its young never fails to 

 arouse the most intense interest. 



It is unnecessary, how.ever, to leave bird study to those living 

 in the country ; for, in the town in which I am now writing, many 



