177 



Birds. 



Get from the market a freslily killed fowl or pigeon. Have 

 the pupils examine the various parts of the bird, especially the 

 bill and feet and feathers. (For a lesson on feathers see pp.141-4). 

 Note the different kinds of feathers, namely, down, contour feathers, 

 and quill feathers, and note the distribution and arrangement of 

 the different kinds. The quill feathers are in the wings and 

 tail only. Note the third eyelid (nictitating membrane). This 

 can be especially well seen in a live bird, preferably a large eyed 

 bird. This third eyelid instead of working vertically sweeps 

 horizontally or obliquely across the eyeball from the side next to 

 the beak to the opposite. If you menace the eye of a live bird 

 with finger or pencil this nictitating membrane rushes across the 

 ball to protect it. Examine the bill. Note the absence of teeth. 

 The earliest birds, now known to us only as fossils, had teeth. 

 The bills or beaks of birds vary a great deal as we shall see when 

 we come to examine other kinds of birds. The two parts of the 

 bill are the upper and lower mandibles or jaws, and both jaws 

 are movable. With us tiie upper jaw is immovable. The motion 

 of the upper jaw is freest and most extensive in the parrots. 

 Note the horny character and the evident strength of the bill. In 

 the pigeon there is a soft swollen part on the upper mandible, in 

 which the nostrils are situated. Examine the feet. How many 

 toes are there ? Some birds have only three toes (the plovers, 

 certain woodpeckers, and others). The ostrich has onl}^ two toes. 

 Note the arrangement of the toes, and tiieir shape. The arrange- 

 ment and the shape and appearance of the toes varies much 

 among birds (see later). Note the hard nails; they are horny 

 like the bill. 



With this simple knowledge of some of the parts of the 

 chicken or pigeon, have the children watch the live chickens or 



