THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
138 
The Most Beautiful and Lovable Bird. 
Queer, isn't it, how we like to sepa- 
rate beauty from utility? Theoretically 
the most useful thing should be the 
most beautiful, but practically it isn’t. 
From the naturalist’s point of view 
what is the most beautiful and at the 
never has a pupil selected any of our 
common domesticated birds, with the 
exception possibly of the well-known 
caged pets, canary, flinches, etc. Even 
a thought of such birds seems to be 
rather rare. Ask a school what is the 
most lovable bird, the most beautiful. 
NOW ISN’T THAT A BEAUTIFUL BIRD?” 
same time the most lovable bird? 
Opinions might vary even after the 
question had been gravely considered, 
but it has been interesting to me to 
ask the question in the various schools 
that I have visited, and to note that 
and thought almost always turns to the 
wild bird, scarlet tanager, blue jay, 
robin, etc. But it takes only a mo- 
ment’s thought to realize that the most 
lovable of all birds is the little chicken. 
It is hugable, squeezable, lovable and 
