of birds to insects injurious to vegetation, and kindred subjects, which form a never-failing source of delight. Through such work, the child learns almost unwittingly much of bird structure, classification, and description which would otherwise prove dry and barren of interest.
The boy who thus comes into fellowship with birds will not delight in beanshooters or find his chief joy in robbing birds nests and violating game laws; while his sister will try to find something more ornamental for her hat than slaughtered birds.
THE PROGRAM
While programs must vary according to the needs and ability of the children, a few suggestions may be helpful to all.
DECORATION
‘Sharp Eyes,’ and ‘I Spy,’ by William Hamilton Gibson, ‘Nature′s Hallelujah,’ and ‘The Message of the Bluebird,’ by Irene Jerome, are full of delightfully suggestive and artistic bits of bird-life for black-board pictures.
A pretty corner may be made by a small bush or the branch of a large tree in which the nests collected by the children are appropriately placed. Pictures of bird-lovers and writers should be in evidence. Audubon, Wilson, John Burroughs, Bradford Torrey, Olive Thorne Miller, and others. Many of these may be found in recent magazines.
Anecdotes and short sketches from their books may be told or read.
COMPOSITIONS
Compositions prepared in advance, on various phases of bird-life, may be read by their young authors. These may be the result of work previously done in class along the lines before mentioned, or of new observations and experiences gathered for Bird-Day. The greater the variety of topics, the better.
Descriptions of individual birds, comparisons of birds, individually or by classes, as to:
Food.—Character; where, when, and how obtained.
Home.—Location; materials; construction; appearance.
Young.—Number; appearance; care and education.
Songs and Calls.—Emotions expressed; character, short or sustained, high or low, sweet or harsh, etc.
Relations.—Names of other birds of same class.
Bird Craftsmen.—Masons, miners, weavers, tailors, etc.
Tree-top Neighbors.—Spring, summer, fall and winter.
How Birds Travel.
How Birds Help the Farmers.
Invitations to the birds.—Boxes put up for them; seed-cups, bits of suet nailed to posts or trees.
