Catalogue of the National Film Library of Sixteen Millimeter Motion Pictures (1931)

CLASS A — Popular Science and Natural History 39 COURTESY TITLE REEL NO. The long tailed tomtit has such a long tail that part of it has been left outside the nest. One of the cutest sequences is of a Mother Wren feeding four husky youngsters lined up side by side on a branch. She takes great pains to treat them all impartially. This film is not only highly instructive but is also very good entertainment. 1 Reel Courtesy of RODNEY GILLIAM COMPANY 2014 BIRDS OF PREY There are many varieties of flesh eating birds, several of which are in the cast of this film. The Kistrel, a European bird, corresponds to the American sparrow hawk. He has formidable claws and a wicked, hooked beak. Two hawks are shown fighting over the body of a small bird. Before eating a bird, the hawk picks out all the feathers carefully. A view of a small hawk with a large rabbit illustrates that hawks often attack animals considerably larger than themselves. Several of the larger varieties of birds of prey make their appearance. Among them are the ugly European eared vulture, the Asian Lammergeier and the Andean condor which has a wing spread of nine feet and can fly as high as 29,500 feet. Most of these larger birds are menagerie specimens. The film closes with a picture of the great American Eagle, who always finishes what he starts. This picture is highly instructive as well as entertaining. 1 Reel Courtesy of RADIO DOINGS PUBLISHING CO. 2015 SINGING AND STINGING An intimate study of the life history and habits of the mosquito. A man finds mosquito eggs in a tub of stagnant water. He takes them to the laboratory and examines them under the microscope. The eggs are in clusters, forming rafts that float on the surface of the water. When ready to hatch the larvae break the caps from the bottoms of the eggs and dive head foremost into the water. The tiny wigglers breathe through their tails, which they place against the surface of the water. In about two weeks the larvae changes to the pupa stage. Close-ups of the mosquito's stinging apparatus and of its many lensed eyes are presented. Finally, by means of an experiment, the scientist shows how the mosquitoes in the wiggler stage may easily be destroyed by pouring oil on the surface ot the water. This shuts ofif the air supply and the wigglers drown. A very interesting and instructive scientific subject with a popular appeal. 1 Reel Courtesy of CRAIG MOVIE SUPPLY COMPANY 2016 MOLLUSCS The Molluscs include several sub-classifications, among which are Pelycy-Poda ("hatchet-footed") such as clams, oysters and mussels. The observer is first taken aboard a trawler where he sees oysters being gathered. The second class embraces the "head footed" or Cephal-poda, including squids, octopods, nautili and cuttle fish. The octopus may be Take Your Projector to Conventions