The potato-beetle, giant water-bug, eastern swallow-tail butterfly, and promothea moth are insects suitable as types to be studied by the pupils of Form I. The giant water-bug is the large, broad, grayish-brown insect that is found on the sidewalks in May and June mornings. (For information on the eastern swallow-tail and promothea see Metamorphosis, in Butterfly and Moth Collections.)
BIRDS
Bird studies for Form I should be limited to observations made directly upon a few common birds, such as the robin, house-sparrow (English), song-sparrow, flicker, house-wren, crow, bronzed grackle, and meadow-lark. These are easily reached by the pupils of every rural and village school, and the purpose of the lessons should be to teach the pupils to recognize these birds, and by making use of child interest in living active creatures, to develop their interest in birds.
THE ROBIN
FIELD EXERCISES
I
Observe the robins and find out the following things:
1. Are all robins of the same colour? If not of the same colour, what difference do you note?
2. Does the bird run or hop? Imitate its movements.
3. Listen to its song. Is it sweet or harsh? Is it loud or low? Is it cheerful or gloomy?