30 NATURE STUDY BY GRADES 



quite loud. They were not big enough, however, to eat the 

 mouse. What do little kittens live on ? 



Pupil. Kittens suck milk from their mother. 



Teacher. Kittens when first born are too little and weak 

 to tear and eat raw meat, so they nurse their mother. They 

 cannot walk around or even see till they are nearly two weeks 

 old. But the mother takes good care of them, and when 

 they get big enough she teaches them to catch and eat mice 

 and other small animals. What other animals have any of 

 you seen a cat catch ? 



Pupil. One time I saw our cat with a poor little bird in 

 its mouth. 



Teacher. Yes, the cat kills a great many pretty and use- 

 ful birds, especially when she lives out in the country where 

 the birds build their nests in the trees. Cats often climb 

 trees and rob birds' nests of their young and even catch the 

 mother bird who tries to defend her little ones. 



Pupil. Can't the cat be taught not to catch birds ? 



Teacher. That is very hard to do, as it is their nature 

 to catch birds as well as mice. Even when cats have been 

 well fed, they seem to like to catch prey just as well as if 

 they were hungry. 



II. THE SEASONS AUTUMN OR FALL 



(See Lesson XVII, Second Grade.) 



Points to be brought out. Name ; shorter days ; colder 

 weather ; fall work indoors and out ; changes in plant life ; 

 disappearance of birds and insects; position of the sun; 

 games and sports ; preparation for winter. 



Teacher. Albert Brown lived in a large city. He had 

 spent the days of his summer vacation at home, alone, for 



