The Audubon Societies 



57 



last were kindly loaned by friends of the school. Each bird observed had its name listed 

 immediately. The Bird Calendar, which was a large sheet of bristol-board, hung at one 

 side of the corner and was lined and marked as follows: 



The list of birds seen during the spring numbered over eighty. In addition to this 

 calendar, each pupil kept an individual notebook where the number, name, date and 

 place were all recorded. As there were only two pairs of field-glasses available, most of 

 the birds were studied with the naked eye. The bird book was not passed around for 

 inspection, for fear. that the children would become familiar with the picture instead 

 of observing the actual bird. Thus the children learned to listen attentively, to observe 

 quickly, and to specify exactly. After a bird had been reported and well described, the 

 colored picture of it was shown to the whole school. Daily, a few minutes early in the 

 morning, all the late arrivals were discussed. 



The children were greatly helped in this study by the favorable location of the 

 school grounds, which extend down to the bank of the Fish River. Along two sides of 

 the yard are low bushes, while a number of poplar trees with much underbrush fringe the 

 bank. Many a time, play was forgotten while the eager students watched the Belted 

 Kingfisher diving for his prey. The children, arriving early to report some 'perfectly 

 wonderful' bird just seen, were greeted by the last refrains of the morning chorus of 

 the Sparrows, Chipping, Vesper, White-throated and Savannah. Everywhere the Pine 

 Siskins frolicked. The near-by marshes were flooded with music by the Rose-breasted 

 Grosbeak, the Purple Finches and the Pine Grosbeaks. One evening, directly after the 

 close of school, several of us were lured down to the bank of the St. John River by the 

 wildest carols. We were well rewarded, for we watched for some time nine Pine Gros- 

 beaks flashing from one branch to another on an old dead tree. 



Enthusiasm reached its highest during the latter part of May and the first of June. 

 For nearly a month the weather had been very mild but it suddenly became very cold 

 on May 23. During the night heavy winds blew up a freezing rain-storm, which con- 

 tinued until the afternoon of May 28. By reason of the rain or the intense cold, or both, 

 the school grounds were invaded by a multitude of chilled and perhaps starving birds. 

 Field-glasses were unnecessary, because the birds would come to the steps and pick up 

 crumbs. Some of the species seen were Robins, American Redstarts, and other Warblers 

 galore, Wilson's, Blackburnian, Parula, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Blue, Yellow, 

 and Cape May. In fact the plowed land to the east was dotted with Myrtle, Magnolia, 

 and Cape May Warblers. The latter are supposed to be very rare in Maine. The Mag- 

 nolia Warblers seemed to be bluish gray in color. One noon, as the children were scat- 

 tering crumbs by the back steps, they received an informal call of some ten minutes in 



