February Nature-Study 



Anna Botsford Comstock 



To the nature-lover February is the winter month of special 

 charm. The forests on the snowy hills take on many lovely tints 

 varying from dull to dark blue and from lilac purple to amethyst. 

 The snow is toned with purple shadows and the skies in the morning 

 are dull blue at the horizon and rosy and misty above until the 

 blue of the upper skies is reached. Let us enjoy every day of 

 February whatever the weather and then will our spirit be strong 

 for blustering March. 



SECOND GRADE 



The English Sparrow. — This doughty little brigand is always 

 with us and always in the foreground until he discovers we are 

 trying to study him, then he disappears like magic. For pupils 

 of second grade a February lesson may be found in Obs. i, 2, 7, p. 

 87.* The cock-sparrow is a very difficult bird to describe, his 

 coat is of so many shades and patterns but the children can see 

 his black cravat and white wing bars and the white sides to his 

 throat, all of which ornaments his peppery-tempered wife lacks. 

 The pupils should be encouraged to listen to and understand as 

 much as possible of sparrow talk. The chief value of this special 

 lesson is to make the pupils perfectly acquainted with both sexes 

 of this sparrow, that later, when they study birds in the field, 

 they will not be confused if English sparrows appear on the scene ; 

 the hen-sparrow seems to have protean forms and is often mistaken 

 for other species. 



The Bluejay. — This bird of heavenly hues is a joy to the eye 

 and a pain to the ear. The pupils should observe the colors 



•Reference to author of Handbook of Nature-Study. 



69 



