196 NATURE STUDY RHJ-IHll' [8 :o— May, 1912 



Nature Study readers will not need information concerning 

 the value of the knowledge which may be obtained in a bird 

 course, and most cultured people seem to realize more or less fully 

 the importance of a knowledge of birds in enlarging powers of ap- 

 preciation. The student of birds has no trouble in making his 

 walks interesting if parks or country are available, and a parent 

 who knows something of ornithology has an invaluable mine of 

 material for the development of a wholesome interest in his child's 

 mind. Some ideas as to how a bird course may yield intellectual 

 discipline as well as pleasure will follow. 



Much depends of course, upon the careful selection of ma- 

 terial. In the writer's ex!perience,.most students who elect a bird 

 course desire especially to be able to identify birds, and a large 

 share of the work may be devoted profitably to furnishing what 

 is wished. Few students think very much in advance about the 

 importance of knowing something about the structure and physi- 

 ology of the bird, yet it seems probable that these subjects should 

 not be ignored in any bird course. Without them a course fails 

 to realize a splendid opportunity to impart excellent biological ma- 

 terial, and it must be somewhat narrow' in its viewpoint. More- 

 over students are not slow in realizing the importance of what 

 may be called the "biological" portion of the work. 



Above all things, the course should be adapted to local needs 

 and possibilities. What may do well in one institution may go 

 poorly in another. Work given in the summer may need to be 

 different from that of the spring. There should be no obstinate 

 clinging to notions and schemes of uncertain success when better 

 ones can be found. A very large amount of study may be given 

 profitably to the consideration of numerous more or less small de- 

 tails which bear upon the pleasure as well as upon the effective- 

 ness of the work. 



The course in bird study conducted by the writer is called a 

 inajor. It is given during a term of about eleven weeks, and a 

 student may regularly carry three majors during this time. The 

 class is given a certain amount of required work as follows. This 

 spring there are three lecture periods at 7 :30 a. m., and two field 

 trips from 7 :40 to :10 a. m. In the laboratory, at least one hun- 

 dred and fifty bird specimens must be identified. These are studied 

 in an order which aims to secure their idetUification before the 

 species arrives. These specimens are not duplicates. No colored 

 pictures are permitted in the laboratory. No definite laboratory 

 hours are scheduled, as little direction is required. The comple- 

 tion of one-half of the identifications is required in the first four 



