82 NATURE STUDY 



Perhaps those whom we thus educate will be more intel- 

 ligent than those who in the early fifties started the 

 sparrow " boom " by importing and protecting numbers 

 of these birds from England and Germany under the 

 impression, biologically absurd, that a conirostral bird 

 could rid a country of insect pests. 



Method : 



Study the birds yourself until you are quite sure of 

 the facts. 



Take the children out of doors. Tell them that Mr. 

 Sparrow wears prettier clothes than Mrs. Sparrow, and 

 ask them to pick out, if they can, ]Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow, 

 and to notice the appearance of each. 



Although the sparrows are remarkably fearless and 

 tame, it will be necessary to caution the children to keep 

 at some distance and to observe quietly. 



At this time of the year corn, bread crumbs, or bird 

 seed, scattered round shortly before the children are 

 sent out, will be sufficient inducement to bring within 

 range of their vision all the sparrows of the neighbor- 

 hood. 



When the children return from the excursion, distrib- 

 ute hektograph drawings of the male sparrow. From 

 these obtain a description of the bird. 



How many saw birds like this ? What was the color 

 of the throat and breast? How many saw clear white 

 markings on the wings ? How many saw sparrows with- 

 out the black on the throat or the white on the wings '.' 

 Were they young or old birds ? Then tell them which 

 were Mr. Sparrows, which were Mrs. Sparrows, and 

 which were the children. 



Tell them to watch to see what else the sparrows eat. 



