ZOOLOGICAL EDUCATION. 667 



than that of zoology the highest department of biology while some 

 of its divisions are to he highly recommended on account of their great 

 economic importance. The agriculturist has to deal directly and 

 practically with only the two highest branches of the animal kingdom, 

 with the jointed animals known as vertebrates and arthropods. To 

 the first of these man himself belongs, and it is now admitted that the 

 best and most practical way to acquire a knowledge of human physi- 

 ology, anatomy, and development, is by studying the comparative 

 physiology, anatomy, and embryology of vertebrates. Also, because 

 our domestic animals belong to this group, with many of our friends 

 among the birds, snakes, lizards, salamanders, toads, and fishes, it de- 

 serves special study. To the second branch belong the crab-like ani- 

 mals, the myriad-legged forms, those which are spider-like, and true 

 insects, which are the highest of their branch. These we meet every- 

 where, at every step. They are the most abundant of all organisms, 

 their number of species exceeding that of all other animals, with all 

 the species of plants taken together. Every terrestrial plant and ani- 

 mal has its insect-pests, and these in turn have insectean destroyers, 

 which are indirectly friends to the animal or plant. With the culti- 

 vation of extensive areas, the destruction of beneficial insects, of birds 

 and reptiles, and their forest-homes, with the introduction of new food- 

 plants, and adaptive changes in the food-habits of insects, we favor 

 the multiplication of our native pests, while to these we have added 

 through commerce all the foreign marauders which can be brought 

 with imported produce, and without the enemies which retard their 

 increase in their own countries. At least thirty species of our most 

 objectionable insects are derived from the Old World, among which are 

 the dreaded currant-worm, the cabbage-worm, the cabbage-fly, the 

 Hessian fly, the wheat-midge, the bee-moth, the apple-worm, the cab- 

 bage-lice, grain-weevils, the house-fly, the European cockroach, carpet 

 and clothes moths and bugs, the asparagus-beetle, and the clover- 

 beetle. This group is commanding more and more attention by the 

 great increase of its depredations from year to year. 



For all these reasons, insects appear in near and important relations 

 to man. On these accounts, but also because of the endless variety of 

 wonderful and interesting habits and instincts among them, is their 

 study especially recommended. Not only is the natural history of 

 such creatures of practical value, but there is a peculiar fascination in 

 its study that is highly beneficial in its influence, aside from the 

 pleasure it affords. This is expressed by J. B. Hartwell as follows : 

 " My soul is vexed, from day to day, because the writers of unright- 

 eous fiction are so popular, while the devotees ... of science and the 

 promulgators of God's truths are to such a degree neglected, their 

 writings unsought, unread. Yet not wholly so. I rejoice to believe 

 that the number of students in the school of Nature is rapidly in- 

 creasing. And I devoutly pray and hope that the beauties and attrac- 



