66 AT PLAY IN THE PARK.* 'Frank, will you go to the park with me?" Yes, Mary, as soon as I get my ball. The boys are going to play ball, and I told them I would play with them.” 66 I will take my hoop, and we will let Rover go with us. He likes to romp and play on the grass." 66 We will go to the lake first, Mary, and see the water birds." "Water birds? What are they, Frank?" * See engraving, page 6. 66 Swans, geese, and ducks are water birds." "Why do you call them water birds, Frank?" 66 Because they live on, or near, the water, and are web-footed." "What do you mean by webfooted?" 66 'Why, you know, Mary. You have seen the geese and ducks out of the water. They have a skin between their toes." "O I know what you mean now. Is that why they swim so well?" "Yes, all web-footed birds swim well." 66 Here we are at the lake, and there are the swans. See what long necks they have! How pretty they look as they sail about on the water!" "They do look pretty, Mary. You see the ducks and geese do not have as long necks as the swans." 66 "See, Frank, one of the swans is How near it is to the on her nest. water!" "Yes, swans make their nests of sticks and dry grass, and always near the water." "Look, look! See those pretty little fish in the water!" "O yes, I see them. Give them some bread and see them eat it." Then Mary let some bits of bread fall into the water, and it was fun to see the fish try to get them. There were so many, that some were pushed clear out of the water by other fish trying to get the bread. When the geese and ducks saw Mary feed the fish, they came up to get some bread. As soon as the geese came near, old Rover began to bark at them. The geese did not like that, so they put out their long necks and ran at him. 66 "Hiss, hiss!" said the geese. Quack, quack!" said the ducks, and Rover ran off. It made Frank and Mary laugh to see the geese run after Rover. They tried to get him to come back, but he would not. When Mary had used up all her bread, they went home and told their mother what they had seen at the park. LANGUAGE LESSON. Let pupils write answers in complete sentences. Where did Frank and Mary go to play? What kind of birds did they see there? Why are they called web-footed ? Where do swans build their nests? Of what do they build them? |