l8o NATURE STUDY 



lets the water run out but retains the food. Its feet are webbed 

 to make swimming paddles of them. Similarly the teacher should 

 lead the pupils to look for something in the make-up of each bird 

 that especially fits it for its particular kind of life. 



The colors and patterning of birds are very beautiful and 

 interesting. Note that in many birds the males are more brightly 

 colored and strikingly marked than the females. The orioles 

 and tanagers and red-winged blackbirds and quail are good 

 examples of this. The colors and markings of birds are believed 

 to serve as ornaments and also as recognition marks so that 

 others of the kind can recognize their comrades. The colors and 

 pattern often harmonize so well with the usual surroundings of 

 the bird that they serve to conceal the bird when at rest and thus 

 protect it from its enemies. A quail crouching on the ground is 

 almost indistinguishable from the brown leaves and soil about it. 

 The colors are produced in two ways, namely, by the presence of 

 pigment, and by the reflection and interference of the light ra3's. 

 In this latter way are produced the metallic or irridescent colors, 

 which cliange as the angle of the light is changed. 



The nesting of birds and the number and patterning of the 

 eggs are interesting subjects for observation. The mourning dove 

 makes a very slight nest of a few twigs; the robin makes a strong 

 deep cup, rough outside, but softly lined within; the oriole builds 

 an elaborate hanging cradle. Among some birds only the female 

 works at nest building; among others both sexes take part in the 

 nest building. Some birds lay but two or three eggs in a clutch, 

 some a dozen or more. Some birds rear but one brood a year, 

 some several broods. In most birds it is the female only who 

 sits on the nest to incubate the eggs. With some, however, the 

 male takes its turn in "setting." Have those children who have 

 opportunity to watch pigeons while nesting find out that this is 

 true in the case of the pigeon. With some of the plovers the 

 males do all the incubating. A strange bird called the hornbill 



