NATURE-STUDY IN NEW ZEALAND 223 



The automatic shot-gun is one of the most serious menaces ever 

 instituted against the bird life of this country. It is a veritable 

 murdering machine. Let us legislate it out of existence, and to 

 this extent, at least, provide for saving a few of our remaining 

 birds from destruction. 



In Europe, where a careful balance is maintained between 

 propagation and destruction, it has been found necessary to pro- 

 hibit the use of all repeating rifles and guns. Let us not be be- 

 hind Europe in this same measure. 



Checks for this war fund should be made payable to the order 

 of the New York Zoological Society, and mailed to the office of 

 its Game Protection Department, 1269 Broadway, N. Y. 



This appeal is signed by Henry F. Osborn, Vice-President, 

 Madison Grant, Secretary, W. T. Hornaday, Director of the 

 New York Zoological Society ; and Ernest T. Seton, Vice-Presi- 

 dent, G. O. Shields, President, of League of American Sports- 

 men. [Shields' Magazine.] 



NATURE-STUDY IN NEW ZEALAND 



The following suggestions have recently been issued in the 

 form of a circular to the teachers in one of the largest education 

 districts in the colony. The suggestions have been adapted from 

 an Interim Report to a Committee of the Educational Section of 

 the British Association. The circular is intended to indicate the 

 Spirit and Method in which teachers are to conduct nature-study, 

 rather than to point out the subjects to be dealt with. 



Suggestions for Nature- Study 



Any development of nature teaching in the schools finds an 

 easv starting-point in the object-lesson. But the object must be 

 present if the lesson is to be real. If the elephant can be repre- 

 sented only by a picture, that is a reason for giving lessons about 

 something else until it is possible to adjourn to a menagerie. 

 Where flowers or stones are required, let them be provided in 

 sufficient quantity to give every child a specimen. Let these be 

 distributed at once, so that the children may start with their own 

 observations. This will require training, and the teacher will 

 spend much time in discussing with the children what is seen. 

 He can range where he likes, provided he keeps in mind the 



