BIRD 



735 



BIRD 



more easily than a few good books. Such 

 works as Chapman and Reed's Bird Guide, or 

 Chapman's Handbook of the Birds of Eastern 



TYPES OF BEAKS 



North America, should be found in every school 

 library, and be used on observational trips. 



4. Each pupil should carry a pocket note 

 book in which to jot down observations as they 

 are made. If the memory alone is relied upon 

 valuable points may be omitted. 



Parts of a Bird. The parts of a bird, with 

 names attached, are shown in the diagram on 

 page 734. All but the very young pupils 

 should learn these terms, as they occur in all 

 books about birds. The little ones should learn 

 to recognize the most prominent parts, as the 

 head, wings, tail, etc. 



1. For a practical exercise have the children 

 compare a live bird, a mounted specimen or 

 the skin of the bird with the diagram, and ask 

 them to name the corresponding parts. The 

 first lessons should be the easier ones, the nam- 

 ing of the head, mandibles, wings, legs and tail. 

 Have the pupils measure the specimen from 



the point of the beak to the end of the tail. 



How many inches long is it? 



Spread out the wings, measuring them from 

 tip to tip. What is the distance? 



Compare this distance with the length. 



2. To make sure that the pupils remember 

 what they have observed, begin the second 

 lesson by reviewing the first. Then proceed to 

 the study of the smaller parts, taking up this 

 part of the work systematically, as follows: 

 first study the parts of the body, the head, 

 nape, breast, beak and rump. When these 

 parts have been learned study in like manner 

 the wings, tail and legs. Classes above the 

 fifth grade should have no difficulty in dis- 

 tinguishing and naming all these parts. An 

 occasional exercise on them in connection with 

 the other lessons will help to fix them in the 

 memory. 



3. The way in which the structure of a bird 

 is adapted to its mode of life is a topic of 

 absorbing interest. The older classes should 

 be led to see that a bird of prey has a different 

 beak from one which feeds on fruit and insects, 

 and that their feet also are not alike. Varia- 

 tions in the structure of different birds are 

 clearly illustrated in the accompanying dia- 

 grams of beaks and feet. 



Local Protection of Birds. The lessons on 

 bird protection are designed to increase the 



PRINCIPAL TYPES OF FEET 



(o) Auk (g) Coot 



(6) Grebe (h) Owl 



(c) Petrel (<) Hawk 



(d) Pelican (;) Parrot 



(e) Sandpiper (k) Swallow 

 (/) Albatross 



interest of the children in birds and their love 

 for them, and to impress upon them how valu- 



