I 7 o THE NA TURE-STUD Y RE VIE W [ 3 : 6- sept., . 9 o 7 



living for himself and bring up a family. The perpetuation of 

 the species seems to be, from the point of view of life, the supreme 

 end of existence for these humble brethren of the field and forest. 

 The female of many insects, for instance, lives just long enough 

 to lav her eggs, and then perishes. It is therefore proposed to 

 adapt the following outline to each animal or plant studied in the 

 grades of the first five vears : 



& 



I. General Formula* — The Business of Animals and Plants. 



i. To Care for Themselves. (a)Food: finding, securing, transforming. 

 (b) Self-protection, (c) Adjustment to physical surroundings. 2. To 

 Care for Offspring. 



II. Business of a Cat — Adaptation of the General Formula. 



1. Care of Self, (a) Food: (1) Information: feelers, eyes, ears, 

 etc. (2) What: meat, mice, etc. (3) How it laps milk: how it catches 

 mice. (4) Cleanliness, etc.; how it cleans itself; dislike of water on its 

 body. (5) Work: day or night? (6) Food habits: friend or foe of 

 man? (b) Self Protection: (1) Ememies: how it escapes; runs, climbs a 

 tree, etc. (2) How it fights: claws, (c) Adjustment to Physical Sur- 

 roundings: (1) Lives on ground. (2) Fitted: run, jump, very quick; 

 soft footsteps; claws; sharp teeth. (3) Protected against cold and heat ; 

 sheds fur in spring ; heavy coat in winter. 



2. Care of Kit/ens. (a) How fed. (b) Provision for safety: carries 

 away and hides them, (c) Taught by parents? (d) How long for babies 

 to grown])? (c) How long does it live? (1.) Treatment of cat at home; 

 on street ; kindness; playmate; pet. 



III. Business of the Burdock. 



1. Care of Self. (a) Food: from air, hence leaves, from earth, hence 

 roots. (1) No organs of locomotion; hence cannot go after food. (2) 

 No sense organs, since no use to get information at distance. (3) Friend 

 or foe? Leaves used. as cooling application in swellings; roots and seeds 

 in blood and skin diseases. (b) Self Protection: (1) Competitors for 

 favorable position: manured soil, (c) Adjustment to Physical Surround- 

 ings. (1) Long stem to avoid shading, etc. 



2. Care of Offspring, (a) Propagation: burs which hold tenaciously 

 to dress of man or fleece of animal, (b) Storage of food in seed for baby 

 plant. 



*Michael F. Guyer, University of Cincinnati, in Pedagogical Seminary, 

 Vol. XII, p. 87. 



