NATURE STUDY. 317 



states of development. Beautiful models of the bees and of the comb, 

 together with dry and alcoholic material, illustrate further this meta- 

 morphosis, by contrast making clearer the exactly opposite meta- 

 morphosis of the locust. 



At least one member of each of the other orders of insects is 

 compared with these two type forms, and, although only important 

 points are considered at all, yet from one to two hours of laboratory 

 work are devoted to each specimen. This leisurely method of work 

 is pursued to give the students the opportunity, at least, to think for 

 themselves. When the subject is finished they are then given a 

 searching test. This is never directly on their required reading, but 

 planned to show to them and to their teachers whether they have 

 really assimilated what they have seen and studied. 



After this the myriapods, the earthworm, and peripatus are 

 studied, because of their resemblance to the probable ancestors of 

 insects. In the meantime they have had a dozen or more fully illus- 

 trated lectures on evolution, so that at the close of this series of les- 

 sons they are expected to have gained a knowledge of the methods of 

 studying insects, whether living or otherwise, a working hypothesis 

 for the interpretation of facts so obtained, and a knowledge of one 

 order, which will serve admirably as a basis for comparison in much 

 of their future work. 



They then take up, more briefly, the relatives of the insects, the 

 spiders and crustaceans, following these with the higher inverte- 

 brates, reaching the fish in April. This, for obvious reasons, is their 

 last dissection. But with living material, and the beautiful prepara- 

 tions and stuffed specimens with which the laboratory is filled, they 

 get a very general idea of the reptiles, birds, and mammals. This 

 work is of necessity largely done by the students out of school hours. 

 For example, on a stand on one of the tables are placed the various 

 birds in season, with accompanying nests containing the proper quota 

 of eggs. Books and pamphlets relating to the subject are placed 

 near. Each student is given a syllabus which will enable her to 

 study these birds intelligently indoors and out, if she wishes to 

 do so. 



In the spring are taken up the orders of animals below the insect, 

 and for the last lesson a general survey of all the types studied gives 

 them the relationships of each to the other. 



The Course of Study pursued in the School of Practice. — In 

 addition to the plants and animals about them, the children study 

 the weather, keeping a daily record of their observations, and sum- 

 marizing their results at the end of the month. In connection with 

 the weather and plants they study somewhat carefully the soil and, 

 in this connection, the common rocks and minerals of Philadelphia — 



