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\JTHE BOOK SHELF [^ 



Primer of Bird-Study. Ernest Ingersoll, The National Association of Audubon 

 wSocieties. 1974 Broadway, New York City. Price 15 cents. 



The beginning of bird study should consist of understanding the wonderful 

 adaptations in the structure of the bird to its mode of life. This sounds as if it 

 should be the final effort of bird study also and both are true. But the writer 

 knows whereof she writes for she has taught small children about birds and 

 began with the adaptations which interested them far more than the learning 

 to know different birds by name, for the child wants to know "what they do" 

 and "how they do it." This primer of Mr. Ingersoll's is just what the teacher 

 needs for the start. It discusses feathers and their uses, colors and growth, 

 molting, use in flying, the wings, tails, and head dresses, feet, bills; the faculties 

 of birds — their senses of touch, sight and smell; the food, alimentary tract, the 

 egg, and incubation; nests and their purposes. 



It is an admirable little book and gives the teacher just the information she 

 should have to interest the children in the life of birds. 



Our Common Birds, by D. W. Hamilton, Mclndo Publishing Company, 

 Toronto, and 912 Grand Ave., Temple Building, Kansas City, Mo. 

 This delightful book is just what the Nature-Stud}^ teacher needs, for it is 

 written especially from the Nature-Study standpoint. Dr. Hamilton has been 

 one of the efficient workers in nature-study in the Dominion of Canada for 

 many years and he understands well the needs of the teacher. It begins with 

 short accounts, of the game birds, the birds of prey, the woodpeckers and a color 

 key for their determination, the sparrows and a color key for their determina- 

 tion, the thrushes with a color key and finally is given a color key to the 

 warblers. Dr. Hamilton has a happy faculty for giving interesting titles to his 

 chapters, "The bird with a chiseled beak" covers the woodpeckers; "Tree 

 inspectors," the nuthatches and chickadees; "The wily bird," the crow; 

 "Friendless birds," the blackbirds; "The live diadem," the hummingbirds; 

 "Birds with special menu," the cuckoo; "A well groomed visitor," the wax- 

 wing, etc. Altogether this is a most attractive and useful little book. 



The Bird Study Book. T. Gilbert Pearson, Secretary Natural Association, 

 Audubon Societies, Doubleday Page & Co. New York City. Price $1.25. 

 This book is the natural outgrowth of Mr. Pearson's wide experience as 

 Secretary^ of the Audubon Societies. It discusses first acquaintance with the 

 birds. Notebooks, Blanks for reporting, Artificial cover in hiding to watch birds, 

 How to study the birds during nesting season, and care of young, Bird migra- 

 tion, Winter habits of northern birds. Economic value, The traffic in feathers, 

 Bird reservations. Bird-protective laws and their enforcement. The making of 



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