vinal COMMON MISTAKES IN NATURAL HISTORY 331 



Normal School Freshmen (No Biological Train- 

 ing) 31 3.3 



Normal School Freshmen (Botany in High 



School) 11 5.2 



High School Seniors (Course in Biology) 14 1.26 



High School Seniors (No course in Biology) 7 



High School Freshmen 25 1.93 



Junior High School No. 1 (Ninth Grade Males) . . 14 1.26 



Junior High School No. 1 (Ninth Grade, Females) 14 .84 



Junior High School No. 2 (Ninth Grade, Males).. 14 .71 



Junior High School No. 2 (Ninth Grade, Females). 14 .85 



Total Number Examined 281 



The average number of sayings remembered in proportion, to 



one economic fact: 



Bees 1.06 Peacock 1.4 



Owl 1.8 Mouse 1.33 



Bat 2.6 Crow 1.24 



Loon 8.0 Hawk 47 



Adder 57 Hornet 1.9 



It is rather astonishing to find that the Adder and the Hawk 

 are the only two animals in the list that are more apt to be re- 

 membered in connection with some economic fact than in an old 

 saying. It is also surprising to find that with the exception of the 

 seniors in an Agricultural College the pupils of Junior High School 

 are the only ones to know more about the economics of these 

 common animals than about their myths. 



In the case of the Bat five girls out of fourteen in a Junior 

 High School mentioned the possibility of Bats getting into ones 

 hair. Only one boy out of fourteen mentioned that this might 

 happen. This belief is a feminine trait, — perhaps because they 

 are more concerned. Tradition is long-h'ved. The tax that 

 progress has to pay superstition is the worst kind of taxation 

 because along with it vanishes the powers of reasoning. 



Old sayings are passed down for the most part by "word of 

 mouth." They receive a great deal of encouragement in first 

 grade readers and early-grade literature. These sayings pertain 

 to our commonest animals. At the same time our current litera- 

 ture and government publications furnish a host of facts about 

 these same animals. Then there is the opportunity of gaining 

 information by observation. Hearsay, reading, and observation 

 are the three vehicles of information and if judged by present day 

 results the effectiveness diminishes in the order named, hearsay 



