“These birds,” said Uncle George, “are looked upon as enemies by farmers and gardeners. They are scared out of our fields and gardens by every possible means. That is what makes them steal even the food that is given to them.”
Rook.
“But they pick the newly-sown seeds out of the ground, and steal the fruit when it is ripe,” said Frank. “That is what the gardener says.”
“If the gardener only knew how much they help him, by eating up the grubs and beetles that damage his plants, he would not grudge them a few seeds and berries, Frank,” Uncle George replied. “The rook is one of the farmer’s best friends; and if it were not for thrushes, starlings, blackbirds, and such insect-eating birds, our gardens would be overrun with insects. If these insects were allowed to increase, we should not be able to grow anything. Even the sparrow is the gardener’s friend. He eats the caterpillars that would spoil our fruit trees and bushes.”
Exercises on Lesson II.
1. Why do we put out suet and scraps of meat for certain birds in winter? 2. How can you tell a flesh-eating from an insect-eating bird? 3. Write down the names of all the birds which belong to the crow family. 4. What makes the jackdaw steal all his food? 5. Why are jackdaws, rooks, sparrows, starlings, and blackbirds said to be “the farmer’s friends”?
III.—BUDS.
Uncle George and the two boys had been for a long walk. They brought home a lot of twigs which they had cut from trees at the roadside.
Uncle George placed some of these twigs in bottles filled with water. These bottles were placed in the window, so that they could get plenty of sunlight. The rest of the twigs were laid upon the table.