Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-08
SOME MORE FACTS
ABOUT THE BIRDS
Which Ought to Save Our Feath-
cred Friends From
Slaughter.
THEIR LIFE AND WAYS.
"\Nbo Gather Neither Into Storchousc
Nor Barn, Yet God Feed
eth Them"

There Is probably no subject better
adapted to easy and interesting ,tudy'
to popular and yet scientific classifca-
ton, and to profitable aud practical
lesson work in the scnool room, than
chapters ON bird lifn. bird ways ana
bird protection. Twenty-Five of the
states of the Union have already been
SO impressed with the economic i'm
portance OF preserving the native Wild
birds that they have enacted sub
stantially uniform laws for their pro-
lection. Progressive teachers In many
parts of the country are paying more
and more attention 10 this department.
of nature study, and are introducing
Il into their school lessons. The ma
terials with which TO work are abund-
ant and close at hand. The literature
of the subject is choice, plentiful ana
practical. Not to mention any OF tho
larger works, almost every library has
many such books, and nearly all the
illustrated magazines contain valuable
articles on birds. The bird Levers
Magazine" olive Thorne Miller's
First Book OF Birds" and Bird
WAYS" Baskets "Stories Of Birds"
Ernest Seton Thompson's animal
Stories" John Burroughs books,
Whites Natural History of Sell
bourne" Audubon's works, and those
of many OF his able successors--tnese
and many others furnish abundant
material for Inspiration and sugges-
ton. Better, however, than all these
excellent sources IL the equipment
swhich all teachers have or may ac-
quire with little patient practise
sharp eyes. appreciation OF the unique
forms OF beauty In wild birds, and a
sympathetic interest in the welfare
OF our friends In feathers.
Bird knowledge requires time, how
ever, and is something entirely too
good to be had for nothing. When
therefore. teacher said 10 Or, How
ard OF the state university, Il wish
you would tell me everything about
birds" the doctor could only answer,
II wish ] could" He gave. however,
tho following suggestions for the OBJ
servation OF our native species, before
the nature study section of the nor
NAL class at the state university.
DIRECTIONS FOR OBSERVING.
First--Begin with some we'll known
bird say the robin, and classify all
others, as TO size. with tho robin as
Il standard. A bird OF the same size
as the robin would be indicated by 1,
OF half the size by u, Of three times
the sizc by 3, etc.
Second-Notlce differences I'm the
habit Of flight among different birds,
and you will soon be able to recognize
any particular bird as far as you can
see IT,
Third-Pay some attention 10 the
bird-song. Some persons can write
the song of each bird in musical nota-
ton,
Fourth--Divide the birds into shore
birds and water birds by their rela-
lions To land and sea. as shown par
ticularly BY the webbed feet.
Fifth--Classify the birds by their
bills into (a) insect eaters--thosc with
small, soft bills; CD grain or seed
oaters-those with large hard billsi
(o) carDivorous birds-those with
hooked bills.
Sixth--visit the markets and get
from the dealers tho varied and
interesting Information they have
concerning the game birds they
offer for sale during the open
or shooting season. They will
tell you that our malards and
etarians and excellent to eat, but that
the mergansers with narrow. saw
toothed bills, are fsh-eaters and rela-
lively worthless as food because OF their
Objectionable flavor
I. Classify our wild gallinaceous
fcws-prairlc chickens. turkeys, sage
hens, pine hens, qualls-nto two
groups: grouse, If the lower part of
the foot is feathcred; and partridges,
If the lower part of the foot is naked
3. Learn about our larger wild birds,
such as the Canada goose the smaller
and black goose the wild swan, and
the blue heron, or crane, concerning
all of which many interesting local
stories are told.
2. Consider the number OF sea-blrds
we have here-thc osprey or fish hawk,
the pelican, the gull, etc, and why we
have them.
TO- Keep watch till you have seen the
gTosbeak, the oriole. the dipper, the
blueblrd, the shore lark. often nliscaled
the snow-brd. which Is smaller, and
the native sparrows, as well as the
comnoner meadow lark dove. barn
swallow, house wren, tltmouse, hum
ming birds, bird, etc.
II. Notwithstanding much that has
recently been said against classical
tion In biology, we should classify the
subjects OF our observation. All edu-
cation Is classification of some sort.
Scientific and common classification
differ only In degree and In the fact
that the former II more accurate more
vital and of more general recognition.
IL Is the first sure step toward solid
information on any subject, aud * not
to be discarded because II may have
been abused by extremists.
HOW TO TAME BIRDS.
Old birds cannot be tanned. Once
frightep q young bird, aud It's tanning
Is difficult Any quick movement
frlghtens bird. Successful feeding
will tame any nesting taken without
fright. Fledgelngs that fall from the
nest should be picked up and taken
into the house, or the cats will get
them. These little orphans should be
fed till they can fly, At first they call
loudly for help, and open wide their
Drop I'm bits OF soft fruit or
Of earthworm til they are satisfied
and the bird Is nearly tanned. But for
days the aedgelings cannot feed them
selves. and viii starve with food lying
all about them. II takes the parent
birds several days 10 teach the young
sters how 10 pick up food. They should
be tided over this period OF helplessness,
and then let go. for a tame bird about
the house Is worth dozen In captivity.
Their best food Is insects, spiders, and
especially meal-worms. The after
may be reared IN waste wheat meal or
Iran and shorts left IN secure corner
OF the barn. The beetles VIII find this
and lay their eggs In II, and
next spring there will be an abundant
supply OF young bird-food In the shape