EDITORIAL 211 



built and the bird houses occupied. There is much to see in woods 

 and fields, and trips thither should not be neglected. These tramps 

 if properly conducted, are the best part of bird study. Provided 

 the day is warm and beautiful and the children properly dressed 

 for a walk in the dew, the early morning is the time of times for 

 them. Severity is occasionally necessary to enforce the wearing 

 of rubbers and wraps. After school excursions are also helpful, for, 

 although the birds do not show themselves so much, there are 

 fewer objections in regard to damp, cold and early rising. But at 

 anytime a noisy boy or girl will spoil everything and if he be of the 

 irrepressible kind he is better left at home. The teacher who 

 accompanies need not know all, even of the more common birds. 

 She, like the children, must manifest a desire to learn. Bird or 

 field glasses are a great help in identifying new or somewhat 

 uncommon birds but it is a fine thing to acquire the ability to 

 recognize birds by their characteristic habits, and to gain the power 

 to see with the naked eye the little identifying marks and to recog- 

 nize readily individual songs. And with the love of the song and 

 its singer will come the desire for such protection as every young 

 American owes to his useful friends the birds. 



Editorial 



We cannot resist expressing ourselves with reference to a certain 

 phase of bird- study as it is commonly carried on in school. Not 

 that we deplore its popularity, since there is really a need for more 

 of it; nor that we believe it insincerely dealt with since teachers 

 are in earnest about it. But there is a certain aspect of it that is 

 open to criticism, and while calling attention to it we desire at the 

 same time to acknowledge the many valuable elements everywhere 

 to be found in it. 



We refer to the well-nigh universal practise of trying to teach 

 people birds by the use solely of pictures and books. Nor here 

 again would we be misunderstood, since pictures and books un- 

 doubtedly have their proper place. But why, pray tell us, under- 

 take to teach a child to recognize a blue-jay by inspection of a 

 picture when blue-jays are everywhere about him? Why assume 

 that if he can name a double score or more as he sees them on 

 painted cards that he will recognize one-tenth that number when 

 he sees them in the open field or woods? Did you ever try it? 

 Not only so, but it is useful also to remember that a name is 



