The Audubon Societies 293 



The suggestion of discovering a suitable winter food-supply for desirable 

 species is one that many societies might follow up with good results. Such an 

 investigation would naturally lead to experiments with a variety of trees and 

 shrubs, and, incidentally, add much to a general knowledge of arboriculture. 



Other methods of work will be welcomed and discussed in this department. 

 —A. H. W. 



JUNIOR AUDUBON WORK 

 For Teachers and Pupils 



Exercise XVI : Correlated Studies, Reading, Observation and Recreation 



THE PERIOD OF SONG 



Touch your lips with gladness, and go singing on your way, 



Smiles will strangely lighten every duty; 



Just a little word of cheer may span a sky of gray 



With hope's own heaven-tinted bow of beauty. 



Wear a pleasant face wherein shall shine a joyful heart, 



As shines the sun, the happy fields adorning; 



To every care-beclouded life some ray of light impart. 



And touch your lips with gladness every morning. — Nixon Waterman 



Vacation-time has come again, books and lessons are laid aside, examina- 

 tions and rank forgotten. Why have an exercise for the Junior Audubon 

 members in midsummer, even in the School Department of Bird-Lore? Why, 

 indeed, except to add to the interest of the long, hot days when body and mind 

 relax and sag, and precious time is wasted for lack of energy to fix upon any- 

 thing which seems worth while? 



The following exercise is correlated with some things which you may never 

 have thought of as studies, namely, observation and recreation. It is rather a 

 curious fact that most people have to be taught to observe and to play, unless 

 they have grown up under very favorable conditions for cultivating these gifts. 



It is well to read as much as one can, for the right kind of books and papers 

 and magazines contain a vast amount of observation presented in attractive 

 form. It is better, however, to be able to observe for one's self, to cultivate the 

 habit of observing, and of mentally crystallizing into memory what has been 

 observed. 



Add to the habit of reading and observation the gift of knowing how to 

 play, and the combination is still better. One philosopher — and, by the way, a 

 philosopher who practises what he teaches — has called attention to the 

 advantage of learning to play as one works. The reason that work of any kind 

 is likely to become first a tiresome task and then dull drudgery is because no 

 element of recreation enters into it. The spirit which makes one feel like play- 

 ing also makes one contented and cheerful. The haymaker who starts to his 



