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THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



than we ever could have by the use of 

 text-books, and it has interested us to go 

 on with the studies we have begun. 



I think the way to study nature is to 

 observe first and then use books after- 

 wards, if necessary to make sure you are 

 right. But if you meet a difficulty don't 

 give up after the first attempt to solve it. 

 Keep at it, observe carefully again and 

 again, and take your observation from 

 as many different specimens as you can. 

 That is the way to get real benefit and 

 pleasure out of "nature study" as a 

 study. 



: : : ♦ ^ $• * >f: 



I wonder if it wouldn't be a good 

 idea for some of the Chapters to let 

 their members each choose some partic- 

 ular point in nature study to work on 

 while they are doing general work. I 

 suppose this would have to be as each 

 Chapter decided, though, and perhaps 

 some have already tried it. It seems to 

 me that when there is such an enormous 

 field to work in you are apt to get lost, 

 as it were, while if each chose some par- 

 ticular thing in which he was very much 

 interested to study it would give some- 

 thing: on which to start. 



THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTE. 



During the first two days in April, 

 Chapter ion, Johnstown, Pa., of the Ag- 

 assiz Association, had a short but inter- 

 esting trip to the Carnegie Institute of 

 Pittsburg. 



Here the Chapter was greatly interested 

 in the different minerals, animals, birds, 

 fish, and miscellaneous curios from all 

 parts of the world. Among the curios 

 the Indian (North American) collection 

 showed the manner of living and dress. 

 The animals and birds are very well 

 mounted, one case being worthy of spec- 

 ial mention. It was a setter pointing 

 a flock of quail, the quail being so ar- 

 ranged among the autumn leaves that it 

 took some sharp looking to see them. 

 Among the animals the skeleton of the 

 famed Diplodocus was the most interest- 

 ing. A visit to the mounting rooms 

 showed the Chapter two gorillas being 

 mounted and a few large live rattle- 

 snakes making a great commotion. 



SAINT GABRIEL'S CHAPTER NO 1013. 



Our most recent and a promising 

 chapter was organized at St. Gabriel's 

 School, Peekskill, N. Y. There are thir- 

 ty-nine members. The officers are: 

 President, Dorothy Kent ; Vice-Presi- 

 dent, E. Primrose Lawrence ; Secretary, 

 Margaret Brett. 



REPORT. 



The changing of our Out-of-Doors 

 Club into a branch of the Agassiz Asso- 

 ciation has caused much interest. We 

 are divided into two parts, the younger 

 children forming a Junior Branch. They 

 are very enthusiastic and at present are 

 busy with an aquarium, an account of 

 which they hope to send in for your com- 

 petition. 



Our branch is composed of several 

 committees ; for birds, for trees, for wild 

 flowers, for insects and for stars, respec- 

 tively. As a great many of us are be- 

 ginners, some of the committees have not 

 accomplished as much work as others. 

 The bird committee can make the best 

 report. Seventy-six different kinds of 

 birds have been seen since the first of 

 January, and the dates of the arrival 

 of migratory birds have been kept. 



During this last month great quanti- 

 ties of birds have been seen. One of our 

 members identified twenty different kinds 

 in one afternoon, and another, to whom 

 the work is quite new, has a list of thir- 

 ty-seven that she has seen this spring. 



We do not intend the bird work to 

 stop with the close of school. Two of 

 our branch expect to be abroad, one on 

 a driving trip through Norway, and an- 

 other along the Mediterranean coast. 

 Each is going to keep an account of the 

 various birds she sees. Then several in- 

 tend to make trips to the Natural His- 

 tory Museum in New York, and all have 

 been requested to make observations 

 around their homes. 



Next fall we hope to have all our work 

 recorded in a catalogue. We are also 

 anxious to take up the observation of the 

 habits of birds, nesting, etc., as our work 

 so far has been chiefly identification. 



I will leave the reports of the other 

 committees until we have done more 

 work with them. 



E. Primrose Lawrence. 



