Some Observations on Bird Families 



DwiGHT E. MiNXICH. 



High School, Kenton, Ohio. 



The study of bird life, as a part of the nature study work 

 in our pubHc schools, is, unfortunately, still neglected in many 

 places. To whatever other causes this neglect may be attributed, 

 it is at least partially due to the indifference of some teachers to 

 the importance of this work. In view of this situation, the 

 summer term at Miami University has, for several years past, 

 offered a course in bird study, designed particularly to meet the 

 needs of such teachers. Coming alike from country and town, 

 the teachers, who enter this course, are frequently unfamiliar 

 with many of the commoner phases of bird life. Hence, the work 

 has been organized around a few of our most common birds, 

 with the aim of giving the student easy recognition of these 

 birds by sight and note, a few facts concerning their habitat and 

 economical importance and some plans for encouraging and pro- 

 tecting them. 



Of the several methods used in doing field work, none has 

 proved more effective in furthering the purposes of this course 

 or in stimulating interest, than relay studies of particular bird 

 families.* Usually a nest containing young birds is studied, 

 special attention being given to their feeding. As the name relay, 

 implies, this sort of observation is carried on by persons working 

 in turn, each hour of the day, from four in the morning until 

 dark, being assigned to two members of the class. At the close 

 of each hour, a new pair of observers is ready to take up the 

 record where the others left off. Careful notes are kept with 

 reference to the following points : 



Time of each feeding of young. 

 Whether fed by male or female. 



Kind and amount of food fed, if possible to determine. 

 Where procured, if under observation. 

 Times parents feed themselves. 

 Times waste material is taken from nest. 



Any other incidents which may throw light on the life of young 

 or adult bird. 



The record, thus obtained, of a continuous dav in the life 



*NoTE. — For this excellent scheme of studying bird life the writer is 

 indebted to Dr. C. F. Hodge, and to two most interesting articles, con- 

 taining observations made according to this plan, which appeared in the 

 Dec, VMM), and the Dec, 1907, issues of this magazine. 



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