102 NATURE STUDY LESSONS FOR PRIMARY GRADES 



the toes hold it. If neither is to be had, put a 

 diagram on the board.) (It has four toes, two in 

 front and two behind. They have strong, sharp, 

 curved claws. These claws catch into the wood 

 before and behind, and hold it firmly.) Does it 

 use anything but its claws? [Children find out for 

 themselves.] (It has a long and very stiff tail. The 

 ends of the feathers are pointed, and these are pressed 

 into the wood and prop the bird up, just as this brace 

 — showing one — holds this board up.) Does it seem 

 afraid of falling when running up a tree? (No, it 

 goes with as much ease as you run on the sidewalk.) 



Do the red-heads get insects in any other places 

 than under the bark of trees? (They find them on 

 the outside of the bark and on the leaves of trees, on 

 the ground also.) How do you know? Where else 

 do you see insects? (In the air.) Do the red-heads 

 ever catch them while in the air? Watch and see. 

 They catch beetles and wasps while on the wing. 



Do they eat anything except grubs and insects? 

 What? (Cherries, berries, apples, and pears.) How 

 do they eat them? [Children observe.] Leander 

 Keyser says that they sometimes dig out holes in the 

 top of posts, in dead tree trunks, or in stumps, and 

 hide fruit. He saw a red-head press a berry into one 



