18 THE EXTENSION 
(1) Song.—Note and try to imitate the various songs, 
cries, call-notes, notes of alarm, scolding, etc. Do they sing 
while sitting or during flight or both? Does the same bird 
have different songs for different times of the day or sea- 
sons of the year? Does it sing in the early morning, in the 
heat of the day, or in the evening? Learn to recognize the 
birds by their: notes and calls. Do they sing or chatter 
while feeding? Do they sing while nesting or while feed- 
ing the young? Do they continue to sing after young are 
hatched ? 
(j) Learning the bird’s name.—To know the various 
kinds of birds in your locality by sight and notes and to 
determine the facts suggested in the above outline, are far 
more important than knowing their names. Do not allow 
the fact that you do not know the name of a bird to keep 
you from becoming personally acquainted with him. It is 
then easy to learn the names of most of the birds in your 
locality by talking with persons who know the birds by 
name or by using one of the many well illustrated bird 
books and pictures which may now be readily obtained. 
Have a small note book in your pocket in which to write 
down the points which you observe, and you will soon be 
surprised and pleased to see what an amount of interesting 
and valuable information you have gathered. Whenever 
possible visit museums where mounted birds properly 
named are exhibited. 
HOW TO TEACH BIRD STUDY IN THE SCHOOLS 
The following general suggestions prepared by Gret- 
chen L. Libby published in Bulletin 2 of the California. 
Fish and Game Commission cover the essential features for 
elementary work so well that they are quoted direct. 
‘“‘Grouping of birds for study. In the lower grades birds 
may be studied by trades,—as carpenters, weavers, masons, 
fishermen, ete., while with the higher grades they may be 
grouped by families or according to the kinds of food eaten. 
Study of individual birds. The best results are ob- 
tained when, at each lesson, thorough study is made of on- 
ly one kind of bird, including male and female. The bird 
to be studied next should be announced at each lesson, as 
this gives the children an opportunity, in the meantime, to 
learn all they can about that particular bird. As far as 
possible the points to be brought out about each bird should 
be gained from the children, as this will encourage them 
to make individual observations. 
