Teachers' Corner 



During midwinter we always experience a sense of alienation from the active 

 life of the fields and woods. Almost all the creatures are so very busy sleeping, 

 tucked away out of sight, that it seems quite impossible to get at them; and 

 if jwe were to get at them we must surely fail to awaken them. There are just 

 a few of the hardier birds and animals that vivify our snow landscape; and we 

 are so glad to see them that we express our cordial welcome in feeding stations 

 and other protective devices to encourage them. 



However, there are several things that we may do in nature study in winter 

 that will bring us nearer to the life which "murmurs and glistens" in June. 

 One of these is a careful study of the bird nests which are so easily found and 

 collected from the leafless trees. Mr. Alfred Emerson, Jr., who has been most 

 successful in his nature-study teaching with young children, has devised a 

 special method of mounting and studying these nests. He found that fastening 

 the nest upon cardboard for exhibit was a difficult proceeding and usually 

 resulted in injury to its structure; therefore he invented the plan of mounting 

 the nest in a shallow box. He sought a haberdasher's establishment and 

 procured empty collar boxes which were just the size needed. The nest was 

 fastened into the box and the box was easily and firmly fastened to the corner 

 of the piece of card board. An outline of the bird that made the nest was 

 colored in crayon and mounted beside the nest, and a short account of the bird 

 and nest was written and mounted below. Since every child chose a different 

 species of bird to thus illustrate, the final exhibit was most instructive, interest- 

 ing and attractive. 



The chief obstacle in the study of winter nests is the lack of information on 

 the part of pupils and teachers as to the kind of bird that made the nest. The 

 best way to meet this obstacle is to encourage the children to note the 

 vicinity of certain birds during the nesting season and after the leaves are 

 off the trees look there for their nests. The following species are easily 

 observed: robin, catbird, song-sparrow, chippy, yellow warbler, phebe, king- 

 bird, and wood pewee. The nests of the vireos and orioles are so characteris- 

 tic that they may be identified when found. 



Mr. Emerson has promised to write for The Review a full account of his 

 methods of studying winter nests. 





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