Bird lore - Project Puffin

The Audubon Societies 387
tied country, and the opportunit}- of helping to awaken interest in the studj' of birds
and nature. In the case of the Connecticut Warbler, it may be remembered that it
migrates north through the Mississippi valley to its nesting-haunts "in the cold, boggy
tamarack swamps of Manitoba," returning along the Atlantic coast in the fall to its
winter home in northern South America. By consulting a geography it will be seen
that Alberta extends well to the west of Manitoba, in fact, it would seem as though a
record of this Warbler in Alberta ought to be classed as casual. There is so much to
learn, however, regarding the distribution of many species that it may be found that
the Connecticut Warbler has a more extensive range then is at present known.
In thinking over possibilities of cooperation with teachers and pupils in the far
Northwest, why would it not be admirable to open a regular correspondence with some
of the schools, in this way, creating interest not only there but also, here? Anyone
desiring to do this might communicate with Mr. Stansell directly.
—
A. H. W.]
REPORT OF A BIRD CONTEST IN MISSOURI
The Chairman of the Nature Department of the Council of the Parish
Teachers' Association of Springfield, Missouri, has sent in the following papers
which received first-grade marks according to the decision of Mr. Otto
Widmann, of St. Louis, to whom all papers sent in by contestants from
the various schools concerned were submitted. The Chairman writes: "We
have started a good work, I believe, and intend to follow it up this year by
having a bird-house building contest for which we shall offer prizes. As the girls
do not have manual training in the schools, we are to have a sewing contest for
them. I am working to see if we cannot have a Martin-house erected in every
schoolyard in the city, but it is too early to say how successful I may be."
The best first-grade paper was written by Arthur Hale, age 6, of the Boyd school.
His subject was, 'A Bath in Winter.' The essay follows:
During the holidays I put a pan of water out-of-doors when ice was over everything.
I watched from the window and saw a bird taking a bath in it. The bird was an English
Sparrow.
'Meadowlark,' by Henry Goddard, age 8, second grade of Pickwick school:
One day last spring a little boy found a Meadowlark's nest near the schoolyard.
All of us children went to see it. The mother bird found some tall grass and made a
nest. In a few days we went back; there we found four eggs with brown spots on them.
From the windows we would watch the Meadowlarks find worms and bugs in our
school-garden.
Sometimes they would stand real still; then they would run so fast; then wc could
see them pick up something to eat. Every day we would visit the nest. '
One Sunday a dreadful thing happened. Some boys found the nest, took the eggs
and threw them on a stone and broke them. Then they destroyed the nest. The next
morning we found the little dead birds. We children were so sorry.
'The Sparrow,' by Marjorie Brady, age 9, third grade, Boyd school:
One cold morning this winter when the snow was on the ground, we heard a sweet
little bird singing under the eaves. My mother said it was a Sparrow and, although I
have always heard that the Sparrow is a troublesome bird and does much mischief, I
think it is very dear of him to stay with us and be so cheerful through the cold wintry
days. I am sure we would miss him very much if he were to leave.