THE SONG-BIRDS OF THE FARM 221 



manners toward man and toward each other. A few, like the 

 crow and the jay, are so well marked as not to be mistaken. 

 The habit of running head downward along the bark of a tree 

 at once marks a bird as either a nuthatch or a creeper. The 

 songs are perfectly specific, and will often lead the careful 

 observer to the bird he is wishing to see. There is no need of 

 attempting to describe differences here; for a morning in the 

 field with the birds is worth more than all the descriptions. 



Study 31. Song-birds of the Farm 



This study is intended primarily for those who do not know 

 the local song-birds at sight.* An instructor who knows 

 them is assumed; yet the student working alone may easily 

 do what is here outlined and identify his birds with the aid 

 of some of the excellent bird books now generally available. 

 Field glasses (or opera glasses) while not absolutely necessary 

 will be a great aid in field work on birds. Dry weather will 

 be desirable, and a shift of meeting time to an early morning 

 hour (when birds are most in evidence) may be advantageous. 

 Prepared bird-skins may be used by the instructor in point- 

 ing out recognition characters. 



The program of work will consist of a short trip made 

 quietly along some woodsy lane where birds congregate, and 

 across upland and lowland meadows and by a willow-bor- 

 dered stream, observing the different species of song-birds, 

 one by one, as opportunity offers. Careful observations will 

 be needed to obtain the data called for by the table out- 

 lined below. 



*For such members of the class as know the birds well, the instructor 

 may assign other work, such as intensive specific observations on some 

 one species of bird temporarily abundant and not too well known; 

 observations on such matters as its haunts and nesting habits, food and 

 feeding habits, voice and social habits, enemies and warning habits and 

 mode of escape.etc. Or, better, such extended individual work as is 

 outlined in Optional Study 6 on page 229. 



