348 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XXII. No. 568 



make the oodies of birds objects of sacred regard to 

 most boys so that they shall not wish to deprive them 

 of life. 



In every city a considerable number of birds meet 

 accidental death every year, especially during the 

 seasons of migrations. Many of these are picked up by 

 the children while fresh and fit to handle. These un- 

 fortunate birds will become the source of most of our 

 material. In any corps of teachers we would expect to 

 find at least one with sufficient knowledge of taxidermy 

 to prepare the skins suitably for preservation and study. 

 Some of the older boys will gladly learn to do this work, 

 and a few will become quite efficient, so that the labor 

 will not only be taken off: the hands of the teacher but 

 will become of educational value to the pupils. 



The deserted nests should be freely taken for study. 

 After studying, in winter, the nests of last season, 

 most pupils will be early on watch to see the new nests 

 built. This will lead them to observe the more touch- 

 ing actions of the birds. At all times the teacher 

 should be on the watch for opportunities to make direct 

 appeal to the moral nature, but it should be done 

 unobtrusively. 



4. Organize pupils into bird-protecting societies. By this 

 means unite all pupils, who are sufficiently awakened, 

 in an effort to protect the birds and their nests, to pro- 

 vide nesting places for those species that come near 

 human habitations, and to exert a restraining and edu- 

 cating influence on the thoughtless and vicious. By this 

 means the few children who never enter the public 

 schools could be watched and possibly influenced. 



In an attempt to carry out the .plan outlined above 

 some difficulties and dangers must be met. Consider- 

 able knowledge of birds is necessary to the one who 

 directs the undertaking. Details of method in the school 

 room would occupy pages and would not be in place 

 here. It is sufficient for the present to state that the 

 writer knows where this plan is being tried with encour- 

 aging progress. C. D. McLouth. 



Muskegon, Mich., Dec. 16, 1893. 



Bird Notes. 

 The notes published in a recent issue of Science on 

 "Birds Which Sing on the Nesf recalls an intei-esting 

 instance of this kind that came to my notice last summer. 

 It shows that the black-billed cuckoo is not always as 

 quiet and retiring as we generally consider him. A pair 

 of these birds built their nest in my friend's door-yard, so 

 close to the house that it afforded a good opportunity to 

 observe them. This pair were unusually loquacious, and 

 throughout the period of incubation the bird on the nest 

 was often heard holding a conversation with its mate 

 lurking in the trees about the premises. When one bird 

 flew to its f)erch on a certain tree, preparatory to flying 

 to the nest, there was likely to be considerable chatter 

 before it ajjproached nearer. It is interesting to note 

 that while some birds are quiet when incubating, as if to 

 escape observation, their young often make considerable 

 noise while yet in the nest. The flicker is a case in 

 point. To merely hammer on the tree in which the nest 

 is located is often enough to set the whole family going. 

 I have also heard young bluebirds calling "ive-a-ry" from 

 their nest in a hollow stub. And, as for the young crow, 

 his 'gobble, gobble, gobble," when being fed, is a well-known 

 sound in the woods in spring, and often betrays the nest 

 to the young bird's-nester. Willakd N. Clute. 



Binghamton, N. Y., Dec. 13, 1893. 



Postage on Natural History Specimens. 

 In your issue of Nov. 17, with reference to a ruling that 

 natural history specimens cannot be transmitted through 

 the mails as "samples" it is suggested that the various 

 scientific bodies of the United States should use their in- 

 fluence to induce the governments of certain enumerated 

 countries to consent to srich material passing by sample 

 post. It is sought to throw the blame upon the countries 

 in question, whereas the trouble arises solely from the 

 fact that the United States have not yet advanced far 

 enoiigh to have a parcel post as is in operation among 

 these other countries. There is no difficultj' in trans- 

 mitting specimens from Canada to the most remote coun- 



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