350 Bird -Lore 



serve the Health,' Athenseus said that honey was a pure food of great value, 

 and that those who eat bread and honey for breakfast "were free from disease 

 all their life," and, morever, were very long-lived. He referred, of course, to 

 bees' honey, a resource which we use but sparingly, owing to our lack of 

 interest in learning how to keep bees. A study of the vegetation about us, with 

 a few demonstrations about the proper care of a hive of bees, would put within 

 the means of many a family a delicious and nourishing food. Let us study this 

 subject during the winter, along with our study of birds, and next spring add a 

 window-hive of bees to the school-room, as a means of becoming familiar with 

 one of the most interesting and remarkable life-histories in Nature. Make this 

 Christmas a time of new ideals, new hopes, and new enterprises. — A. H. W. 



"Let us look on the tree-clad mountain-crest, 

 On the sacred earth where the fruits rejoice, 

 On the waters that murmur east and west, 

 On the tumbling sea with his moaning voice. 



And the gifts of the gods that know not stain, 

 And a people of mortals that know not fear. 



— From The Clouds, by Aristophanes. 



(Andrew Lang's Translation) 



SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS 



Where do figs grow? What is a nectareous treasure? 



What is the meaning of "to mark with curious eye?" 



Can you think of the reason that a Greek poet should refer to Egyptian brick-layers? 

 How were brick made by the Egyptians? 



What fabled belief is alluded to in the line describing cranes "With stones from 

 Africa in their craws and gizzards?" 



Where are Stone-Curlews found? Stone-Chatterers? Why are they so called? 

 Why 5aw(^-Martins and Mud-Lurks? 



Is the poet's description of the habits of Woodpeckers correct? 



What kind of observation did this poet have? 



What is a barbican? 



What do you know about the habits of bees? about bee-keeping? 



