Through the many percepts of sight of the birds which represent the intervals of the scale, of touch in pasting the little colored discs on the staff, of ear in singing the tones of the Doh bird, the Me bird, the Soh bird, etc., the child finds the symbols and mechanics of musical notation entrancing instead of tedious. In teaching the rythms and value of notes the imagination is called upon in marking off rooms instead of measures, and putting one or more bird eggs into them, naming them with the time names and swinging the rythm with a snap-tape measure. AGNES STEWART. In charge of classes in Color Music and assistant teacher of Voice in The Mrs. John Vance Cheney School, Steinway Hall, Chicago. ---- CONTENTMENT. ONCE on a time an old red hen Went strutting around with pompous clucks, For she had little babies ten, A part of which were tiny ducks; "'Tis very rare that hens," said she, "Have baby ducks, as well as chicks; But I possess, as you can see, Of chickens four and ducklings six!" A season later, this old hen Appeared, still cackling of her luck, For though she boasted babies ten, Not one among them was a duck! "'Tis well," she murmured, brooding o'er The little chicks of fleecy down, "My babies now will stay ashore, And, consequently, cannot drown!" The following spring the old red hen Clucked just as proudly as of yore; But lo! her babies were ducklings ten, Instead of chickens, as before! "'Tis better," said the old red hen, As she surveyed her waddling brood, "A little water, now and then, Will surely do my darlings good!" But, oh! alas, how very sad! When gentle spring rolled round again, The eggs eventuated bad, And childless was the old red hen! Yet, patiently she bore her woe, And still she wore a cheerful air, And said: "'Tis best these things are so, For babies are a dreadful care!" I half suspect that many men, And many, many women too, Could learn a lesson from the hen, With foliage of vermilion hue. She ne'er presumed to take offence At any fate that might befall, But meekly bowed to Providence.-- She was contented--that was all! --EUGENE FIELD. ---- THE FASCINATION OF BIRD STUDY.