QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER I. 



THE BIRD : ITS PLACE IN NATURE AND RELATION TO MAN. 



The Birds Place in Nature (see Cliapter I, pages 1-5). — 

 How many species of birds are known ? In what class are 

 they phiced ? * Name the classes of higher animals ; that is, 

 mammals, fishes, and reptiles. In what respect does the 

 class birds differ from all the other higher classes of ani- 

 mals ? t What place does the class birds occupy in the scale 

 of life ? To what class are they most nearly related ? 



Are birds the only higher animals that fly? Are they the 

 only ones that lay eggs ? The only ones that incubate ? 

 What is the temperature of birds ? Of mammals ? Of 

 reptiles ? Have any living birds teeth ? What is the chief 

 peculiarity of birds ? From what kind of ancestors are 

 birds believed to have descended ? On what evidence is 

 this belief based ? 



Describe the Arch^copteryx. Where was it found ? In 

 what geologic age did it live ? Do birds vary much in 

 structure ? In habit ? 



Mention some varying habits of birds. 



Economic Relations of Birds to Man (see Cliapter I, 

 pages 5-9). — In what ways are birds useful to man I What 

 loss are insects estimated to inflict on our agricultural in- 

 terests annually ? What birds catch insects on the wing ? 

 In the foliage ? On the tree trunks ? What kinds feed on 

 terrestrial insects ? Describe Mr. Forbush's observations 



* Tlie teaclier should dcriiic the meaning of "Class " : as, for ex- 

 ample, the class Mannnalia, the class Reptilia, etc. 



f For example, such extreme representatives of the class Aves 

 as the Hummingbird and Ostrich, resemble each other in more 

 respects than do, for instance, the Bat and the Elephant in the 

 class Mammalia. 



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