histories of insects and specimens of birds may be had from 

 special dealers in the large cities. Even a very small collec- 

 tion, if giving accurately the life history of insects, and show- 

 ing specimens in their natural environment, will be valuable. 

 Such a museum as a part of the library is coming to 

 be indispensable in the work with children in the schools. 

 The protection and encouragement of birds and the preserva- 

 tion of forests, trees, and shrubbery for their homes, should 

 result from the study of the bird club and the talks given by a 

 bird authority. 



6 Field work in a winter study of birds' nests. 



Since winter birds are not easy for the beginner and since 

 there are not many to study unless one knows just where to 

 look for them, a study of birds' nests can be made. At this 

 season of the year, although there will be difficulty in identi- 

 fying them after they have' been so long abandoned, the nests 

 can be taken withoflt stealing and can be found easily, when 

 they might not have been observed in summer. Careful ques- 

 tions regarding a few typical nests will arouse the child's in- 

 terest in the birds when they return. In studying the robin's 

 nest, its shape and color, the relation between the color of the 

 nest and the color of the brooding bird's back and environ- 

 ment may be worked out by the pupils. The song-sparrow's, 

 meadow lark's, woodpecker's, and other nests may be studied 

 in the same way. This will teach the children observation and 

 train them in the inductive method of study. The adaptability 

 of the nest and the color of the bird to its environment is a 

 subject which the children may investigate for themselves, 

 after their attention has been called to it in field study. Noth- 

 ing can take the place of field work in bird study. 



7 Prizes oflFered by the library to pupils in the schools for 

 the best paper recording actual observations of a local bird or 

 birds. 



The prize composition should be kept by the library, posted 

 on the bird bulletin-board, and printed in the town or city 

 paper. 



8 Publishing in the local paper what the library is doing 

 for the children in the schools in studying the birds of In- 

 diana. 



