THE BOOK SHELF 65 



Wid dem words he retch over, he did, an' lif off de whole roof 

 o' de ark, an 'de birds dat had been a roostin' in de attic rose 

 all togedder in one big cloud, an' flew todes de big rainbow up 

 in de sky. An dey was all so glad, dat dey crowded up onto de 

 rainbow an' flew right spang through it, while it was all covered 

 wid de colors o' dat fresh paint. An' all de birds dat flew agin' 

 de blue color come out blue birds, an' dem dat flew agin' de red 

 color come out red birds, an' dem dat flew agin' de yaller color 

 come out yaller birds. But some of 'em feel so happy dey sort o' 

 wallered aroun' in de rainbow an' dey come out all striped 

 and speckled wid de different kinds of colors. An' de hummin' 

 birds dey flew so fast, an' darted into sich little holes dat dey 

 got all de colors o' de whole rainbow on dey feathers. An' de birds dat 

 flew off on de other side o' de ark an' missed de rainbow or was 

 scrouged out by de rest of 'em, dey all stayed white jis like dey was 

 befo'dey came out'n de ark. An' all de birds in de whole worl' from dat 

 time on bin colored des like de ones dat flew into de Good Lawd's 

 rainbow. An' dat's what make me tell you, honey, dat you 

 better be careful what kind o' paint you rub aginst in dis worl' 

 cause it's gwine to stick to you an' it's a gwine to stick to your 

 chillen too." 



The illustrations are clever and felicitous; and while the stories 

 are interesting in themselves, Dr. Branner's sense of humor 

 and his literary skill form a beautiful transparent, amber embedding 

 them which will preserve them for all time. 



Nature-Study Agriculture, William T. Skilling, Supervisor of 

 Nature-Study and Agriculture, State Normal School, San Diego, 

 California, 332 pp. illustrated, World Book Co. 



The teacher of Elementary Agriculture who neglects the nature- 

 study phase of the subject will never be truly successful. Professor 

 Skilling has realized this and every lesson in this valuable volume 

 is based upon nature-study. While it is, in a way, a self teaching 

 book, yet the aids to the teacher are many and potent. Along 

 the margins of the pages are summaries which will suggest questions 

 and discussions of the topics. At the end of every chapter are 

 directions for experiments and observations that have direct 

 bearing on the lesson. While it was written by a California 

 teacher, it is a book usable in any place for its lessons are fun- 



