her expressed {240} surprise that a
bird could find so many of these choice morsels in so short a time.
She had never imagined that so many insects inhabited so small an area
as that to which the bird had confined its operations. "Very well,"
said the instructor, "suppose all of you get down and see how many
insects you can find in five minutes." So while he held the watch all
proceeded to take part in a bug-hunting contest. In this novel
undertaking even the women of the class displayed great zeal. When
time was called it was found that one student had a credit of fourteen,
another sixteen, a third nineteen, and one tall young woman with
glasses exhibited twenty-one insects in the folds of her handkerchief.

A stranger watching the actions of this band of eager, early-rising
teachers might have been puzzled to determine what induced them to
assemble at this hour of the day for the evident purpose of watching
the habits and activities of small birds that the ordinary person
passes without notice. They were, nevertheless, occupied in one of the
most valuable {241} studies that could have claimed their attention.

[Illustration: Preparing for the coming of the birds. A Junior Audubon
class on Prince Edward Island]

For many years the United States Department of Agriculture has been
employing trained naturalists to give their time to the investigation
of the damage done to growing crops by the insect hosts that infest
fields and forests. These and other experts have come forward with
astounding statements regarding the destructiveness of birds to
insects. We are told, too, that each bird is virtually a living dynamo
of energy; that its heart beats twice as fast as the human heart; and
that the normal temperature of its blood registers over a hundred
degrees. It is a simple fact of biology, therefore, that a tremendous
amount of nourishing food is necessary for the bird's existence. Vast
quantities of insects are needed for this purpose.

Some time ago a New England gentleman became so impressed by the
frequency with which a pair of Robins visited their nest with food for
the young that he determined to learn more about the food-consuming
{242} possibilities of the four nestlings. The day the offspring left
their cradle he temporarily took possession of them. With the aid of
some friends, who kindly undertook to dig fishworms for him, he
proceeded to give the baby Robins all they cared to eat between
dayligh