The Audubon Societies 253 



Would it not be worth while to be on the lookout for ways of cooperating 

 with the schools and the public in matters like this, where a hint here and a 

 suggestion there might aid people in knowing the worth, not only of an enter- 

 tainment of moving pictures, but also of many other things likely to be of 

 moment to the nature-student? 



The great attraction of moving picture shows for the mass of our people is 

 so widespread that it is rather surprising that a larger number of nature-study 

 films have not been made and distributed to managers of these entertain- 

 ments. A college professor recently ran across a series of excellent moving 

 pictures of the activities of a tumble-bug, in a small city show-hall, which 

 illustrates very well the point that even insignificant, as well as more con- 

 spicuous and well-known objects of nature may be brought to the attention of 

 the public in a vivid and instructive manner. 



Let us help the spread of reliable nature-study knowledge through every 

 available channel, teaching the public in every way possible. — A. H. W. 



JUNIOR AUDUBON WORK 

 For Teachers and Pupils 



Exercise X : Correlated Studies : Botany ; Basket-making and 

 Weaving; Modeling; Reading 



BIRD-CRADLES 



As was explained in the last exercise, birds can be said to be at home only 

 where they nest, while their nests are merely cradles for their young, and should 

 not be wrongly called homes, either for immature or adult birds. 



If you have taken time to fill out, only in part, the outline given for a com- 

 parative study of nests and nesting-data, you will have discovered several 

 rather surprising facts, first, the great variety of birds' cradles with respect 

 to position, materials and methods of construction, shape, size and height 

 from the ground; second, the striking variation in dates of nesting, number, 

 shape and weight or size of eggs laid, and the length of the incubation period; 

 third, the condition of the young when hatched and the length of time spent 

 in the nest, and, lastly, the diversity and difference in latitude of the summer 

 and winter ranges of many species of even our commonest birds. 



Let us now consider briefly some of the different types of nests which are 

 formed among our North American birds, noting again that a typical nest is 

 made up of an inner and an outer part. Sometimes one or both of these parts 

 may be lacking, and nothing but the nesting-site be visible; nevertheless, most 

 birds make some preparation for the care and protection of their eggs, accord- 

 ing to their particular habits and habitats. 



