un having the children to look very carefully and to 
write down the description of the bird at the time of the 
observation. A systematic scheme is required. This 
is suggested: ist, note the size of the bird, comparing 
it (a) with the common House Sparrow, (6 inches) or 
i(b) with the Robin (i© inches) ; 2nd, note the general 
appearance of the birds as to color, posture etc ; 3rd, 
note the size, shape, color of the bill ; 4th, note any 
conspicious color markings of head, neck, back, rump 
tail, breast or under parts ; 4th, note the habits of the 
bird, how it feeds, its song, its flight ; 5th, compare the 
description with a colored picture or a description given 
in a bird book. 
Bird Study not Elementary Agriculture. — 
Teachers should note that this work is Nature Study 
is not Elementary Agriculture . This instruction is 
not a part of that for which special grants are paid 
though in some respects none the less important. 
There might very well be a few agricultural lessons on 
birds to discuss the value of wild bird life to agriculture 
and ways and means of protecting bird life, but most of 
the bird studies will be what may be considered strictly 
Nature Study. 
The List Compiled as a Guide. —This list of 
Island Birds has been compiled from the following :— 
(1) A Catalogue of Birds of Prince Edward Island 
by John MacSwain has been followed closely. It was 
printed in the Proceedings and Transactions of the Nova 
Scotian Institute of Science : Vok XI, Part 4. pp. 570- 
592. The list was revised in 1907. In an introduction 
to his Catalogue Mr. MacSwain refers to a list of forty 
six birds included in a magazine articles by C. Birch, 
Bagster in 1861, entitled Progress and Prospects of 
Prince Edward Island. References is made also to a 
chapter on Birds in Rev. D. Sutherland’s, A Manual 
of the Geographv and Natural and Civil History of Prince 
Edward Island printed in 1861 as well as to articles 
which appeared in newspapers and The Prince Edward 
Island Magazine; (2) Francis Bain’s Birds of Prince 
Edward Island, published by Haszard and Moore, 
Charlottetown 1891 ; (3) Macoun s Catalogue of Can¬ 
adian Birds published by the Geological Survey Branch 
of the Canadian Department of Mines 1909 ; (4) Dwight's 
Summer Birds of Prince Edward Izland, an account of 
the author’s survey of the Island bird life made between 
June 23rd and July 9th 1892, and published in “The 
Auk” January 1893 So far as known these comprise 
all the reliable records that have been published. The 
list is merely a compilation. No claim of independent 
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