78 NATURE STUDY LESSONS FOR PRIMARY GRADES 



are on the perch do they stand up all the time or 

 do they sit? Find out. Do they close their eyes? 

 At what time of day do chickens go to their 

 high beds? (About as soon as the sun goes down.) 

 Do we hear from them at all during the night? 

 (The old rooster crows occasionally.) How early 

 in the morning do chickens get up? (In the sum- 

 mer time, as soon as it begins to be light. In the 

 winter, they, like ourselves, hate to get up into the 

 cold, so they stay on their beds sometimes until 

 after sunrise.) Can you think of any other reason 

 why they do not get up (or get down, rather) 

 earlier in the winter ? They have not so much work 

 to do. There are no bugs or worms or vege- 

 tables to which they may help themselves. What 

 do they eat in the winter time? Where do they 

 get it? Did you ever notice how the hen eats the 

 corn? [The teacher can feed the one she has at 

 school] What did she do? (Picked up the 

 kernels very fast with her bill.) What kind of a 

 bill has she? (It is hard.) Is that well? Why? 

 (It is strong.) Why does she need a strong bill? 

 (It is pointed.) Why is this a good thing? The 

 upper mandible is curved. Is it better so? Why? 

 Notice how the forefinger is curved in picking up 



