BIRD LORE FROM THE CHICKEN YARD 251 
duck waddles along. Note the reason: the duck is not fitted for a land 
bird, — its legs are short, set far apart and far back. This is the best 
arrangement for propelling the body through the water. 
LESSON 7 
To learn how birds hear and see and sleep. 
(a) Observe that fowls have good hearing. Find the ears on a plucked 
bird; they are well developed, although hidden beneath the feathers. 
(6) The hen’s eyes being at the side of the head it can see what is hap- 
pening in the rear as well as in front, and it is hard to come up to her and 
take her by surprise. Notice that when she wants to observe a thing 
closely the hen looks at it first with one eye, then turning the head looks 
at it again with the other. 
(c) Observe that the bird’s eye has no eyelids, but has the “film lid ” 
which passes over the eye when the bird sleeps or winks. Notice also 
that when domestic fowls sleep they place the head beneath the wing. 
LEsson 8 
To learn the language of the poultry yard. 
Barnyard fowls afford a fine opportunity to learn that birds can ex- 
press quite a variety of feelings, and chickens excel all the others in this 
respect. Observe: 
(a) The quiet gossip which goes on between hens when they are taking 
their sun bath; the song of the hen when she is happy; her cackle of 
triumph when she lays an egg; the short note of warning given by her or 
the rooster when a hawk is in sight; the way a sitting hen scolds when 
disturbed ; the long, horrible squawk when she is captured ; her clucking 
when she calls her chicks; the little questioning note she utters when she 
is curious about anything and looks at it carefully. 
(6) The rooster crows to announce the dawn of day, to show his im- 
portance, or to assure his flock that allis well. When he finds some tidbit 
he-makes a call which brings all his hens running to him, though he often 
changes his mind and swallows the morsel himself. He also gives a warn- 
ing note when disturbed. 
(c) If the pupil has the opportunity he may also study turkeys, ducks, 
and geese, and learn how they express displeasure and fright, and how 
they carry on amiable conversation. This will be a good training for 
the study of the call notes and songs of wild birds. 
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