OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS CORNER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12991, 4 June 1904, Page 2

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS CORNER

. FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. ' . \. (Conducted by " Magister," to whom all • communications must he addres-ed.) • Mycontribution to-day .largely.-consists of •an artiolo froni''the'Journal of Education, an American weekly for teachovs. The lirst of January'next sees tho introduction of the- now syllabus, , and, as many teachers.'are thinking of introducing Nature study, irorrt time to time I'll give, occasional articles on the subject' culled from the latest educational journals at my command '■■.. '

In " Outline of Bird , Study" I think that tho headings may.bo supplemented by two more—vi food, and vir oexehal HEStARKS. Perhaps, howevor, the Professor is going to follow up this article by another: if I'll give it when it comes out. At iLe coming annual meeting of, the Otago Educational Institute Nature study is to bulk largely.' Perhaps then ;.re. some country teachers or pupils who can let me have pretty full notes on tho tui, tho hell bird, or other of our New Zealand 1 fathered friends. OUTLINE (OF BIRD STUDY. By Eobkiit 11. Woicott,. University of Nebraska. : The following outline is presented for the help of teaeliere. The questions may be euggC6t«d to the children, while the teachers should verify their conclusions and.-po.int to the deductions to ho made. The suggestions in'-parentheses are for the guidance of the teaoher in making deductions and! drawing conclusions. The whole outline may Ire-used and a. complete biography of any given bird be compiled by the whole school, or parts of tho same selected and comparisons be made between different birds —as to habits, food', flight, etc. It is expected that the 'answers will be on .the basis of .'field observations. Nearly all. the questions, if not, all, can be answered without the ueo of a field glass, and with it all can bo. Be very carotul not to enter upon the study of birds' nests unless you'have p.upils well in hand, and can feel assured the result will not- ba to encourage the destructive tendencies inhorent especially in boys. Tho use. of simple outline drawings to show pattern of oolourations; form.of bill, wings, tail, and, feet,, etc.,., is' strongly advissd. ■Eitlior individual notebooks, o: a school notebook, should be kept, and all facts when settled mado a matter of exact record. Children should bo carefully taught thafcthe. law .will not allow them to kill birds or rob birds' nests, and tho making of a collection, except of nests which havo been used, should not be encouraged. The- out line may, in large part,-bo applied to the study of domesticated birds. • • • I.—APPEARANCE. .'■.," 1. Size—How large is the bird? (Comparo with Jlnglish sparrow, robin, trow, heii,. ota) ' ';•"'■■■ '2. Form.—(a) Body: Is it long and slender —thraslier, cuckoo,—or stouter—grosbeak,— or short and thick—quail? (Show that tho form of this body in all our birds is fitted for flight, tAlierihg : towards each end with the widest , - pIiVDO at the -point of attachment- 1 of 'tho .wings. ■ of gravity being at. that''plabo the bird can tilt itself, when-in tho air with the greatest case.);.' ' - ■

■ (b) Bill: Is it long -and slender—hummingbird, .snipe,—.or. .Iting and strong—wood- 1 pecke'r'n-pr short end slender— or short, and stout-groabeak,—or hooked— hawk," or flat—duck', (Show that character of the bill, is , related .to the kind of-foo.d and: tho manner of taking it.) " '',(c) : Foot;.' Are .tho feet large—hawk,-or small—swallow?.:.-Are the tops loi.g—snipe,— <ir'short—-quail?' 'Are they wobbed—duck,— or How; are the toes placed, three iri front and ono'. behind—most birds, — or. two in front and two "behind—woodpecker? How many arc,there? (Show tint tho'feet ■nre'strong, in , proportion to'..their use, and modified in accordance.-with the. manner of their use..for walking,.swimming, climbing,, etc. If possible get a> chined tp study-the' imprint of birds'• feet in nmd,- as along , a pond or stream.) .''. .'..'; .U) Tail: Is it.long—cuckoo,—. or shortsparrow? Is it squavo.jit Hie end—robin, — or forked—bavu swallow,—or pointed— gracklo? Are, the. feathers - soft,. or stiff, nnd sharply pointed—woodpecker? •'How- is it hc-Itl in flying? "-(Call attention to..the uses of'tho tail: as a rudder-in flight—notice a graekle, 'flying,—as a piivnrlmte^w-rttch a hawk soaring,—as a support in climbing— observe a woodpecker. -All .birds.,' spread the tail more or less in flight,);. :■ ''■ ■ (c) Colour; What is the general colo-.ir? What marking? are- there? What marks are exposed by raising., of. west- or spreading of tail ami wings in (light? (Call attention to the. protective clement in tho colour of liirds—lighter below where .the shadow falls, streaked in tho case of ground snarrowv etc.). ."'•' lI.—ADUXDAXCE. ... ' Is the bird common. or :are in yp\n locality? Is it more common at certain times of y«ff than at others? Is it equally abundantWrywhoro? lII.—HOME. ' 1. Locality: If not equally abundant in all places, is it found in woods? In fields?,In bushy-tract*? Along roadsides? About houses? Elsewhere? What reason. for its choosing eerfain localities? ' ,',;, . _ : 2. Environment: IK tho locality where it is found on a- hill''or-in a raMoy?.' Is it near water? Is it iieef. 'or. not?. .What nro its min'oiiiuliijgs! Why"tlpep the. birdl bhooss-tliEeo? ■-.■" ' . : •, : .' ~ 2. Habib.t: Whwo do -you :scc.,tluy birds' .usually—in a 'iree, ( in. ljushes, or.p'n tho ground? Do you.sea it' in one. place s at any certain timo, or ilsewluvre at .luother iimo? • Why so-.seen. .(Call attention to :tlu«'effect of (ho nature 'and distribution of Hood, the nostiiig habits, etc, oii 'the clroic© of .locality; call attention. aho s to- tho adaptation of the bird to' its ii?ual.ieityWimentiii regard to form, colouring, 'cto.) ' ' '■ . .- ' IV.—ACTIOXS. •',•'■: What,is the usual jieroh of : the bird? How does it sit:on tlig perch? (A.\Bliip-poor-will sits lciigthwisp.-of v a liinK)--Does it stand erect; or oronph? .Doceit ait quietly, ■ or is it constuntly moving? . Aft. its movements quick or slow? Does it-move. Us 'wings or tail?'- 'Does 't raise a crest, or ear-tufts? . "'"■'.' V.-MOVEMEXT. 1. Kindsf: What kinds of movement, 'does tho bird possess—flying, walking, or running or hopping, or eivimming or diving? Which is its usual manner of movement? 2. In) ilio Water: Does it swim well? Does it dive?- Does it uso its wings in swimming or diving? 3. On tho Ground: Does it walk, or run, or :hop? Does it nso its wings? Does it move "rapidly, or not? How does.it hold its body when walking, running, or hopping? ■ i In tho Air—Flight: Is its flight slow, or ranid? Is it strong f,nd for long distaiiecs,' or weak? Is it in a straight line, or not? Do the wings move slowly, or rapidly? How is tho tail hold? How high above tho ground do you sen it flying? Does it ever soar—holding itself quietly in tie air, moving slowly along with no apparent motion of wings or tail? Do you.ever seo it hover—holding itself exactly in'tho s.amo spot in the air, moving its wings rapidly? (Call attention to the 'relation between size uf body, and size of wings or their.rapidity of movement, and tho power of flight of tho particular kind of bird. Dwell on tho adaptation—in form of body, position of

Jogs, ctc.-of different kinds' of birds for different modes of prcigr&ssion.)—.Special Day Kxoroisos for Nebraska Schools.' MAKING USE OF HIS LEARNING. A small boy was introduced by his teacher to the ditto mark. He thought it would savo trouble, and he soon fount! occasion to turn his knowledge to account. Wliilo away on a short visit ho wrote to his father. The letter raniDear Father, I hope you are well, "." mother is . " ■ . , " " sister " " , " " Dick " . " ■ • " " grandmother " " ■ I wish you were Icre, " " mother was " " " sister " " " " Dick " " grandmother " ". " " you would send mo some money. Your ait. son, Tost. . SOUND OF THE CONSONANT "N." This has two sounds—(l) as in " nine," and (2) tlio union of " 11" with the letters c, k, q, ; and g.i I. The notorious ninny, negligent of the> nobleman's enchantment, contaminates his nautical nondescript with aiitiiicinir.ii noiisonEO. Kinety-mne mamiikins unanimously cnqlmin ■ with winning tonesi the benign duenna, at the Socinian Convention of the non-residents. ' : 2. Tho bmk conquers the strangling donkey and sanctions the lank conclave in the punctilious concourse. The sanguine uncle lingera long among the tinkling , ingots, and jingles his " wrinkled fingers over the linguists angular shrunk shank. I am.thinkmg of contending on the hustings, so relinquish, your standing in the crisp fryingpan, by jumping over the winding railing ; and while you arc laughing, crying, sleeping, waking, resting, or working, yon may. ba sailing on (ho.'swelling, boiling ocean, where the'limping herrings are leaping, skipping, and dancing around. /Referring, to final "g," tho author of "Thp Art of Reading and Speaking" (these exercises, likb the others, are from that book) says;—"Of all the slovenly stylcfl ot reading and speaking, .there is nono worse than rlio habit of'dropping tlio 'g,' and saying "Good mornin',' ,'Good. evenin',' 'I'm makin' a stumiin' piuldin , ,' and so forth. Thus, the omission of one letter is enough to turn tlio best of reading into the worst vulgarity. Truly, as I have said in a former chapter, •'there is 110 such thingf , as a trifle.''' . - The following short quotation .gives a good opportunity of using inflections of tho voice intelligently:—"Ho knows his nose.,1 know ho knows flis nose; and if ho says I know he knows hia nose,- of course ha ;knows I know he knows his nose."