3o8 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



Literary 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



Nature Study. By 



M. New York : 

 ner's Sons. 



Frederick L. Holtz, A. 

 1908. Charles Scrib- 



Among the many nature study publica- 

 tions that appear from time to time, it is 

 not often that we find so thoroughly satis- 

 factory a book as Professor Holtz's "Nature 

 Study." It is essentially a teacher's man- 

 ual but most of it will be of equal interest 

 to the individual student. 



Professor Holtz bases his theory on two 

 fundamental traits of child nature, curi- 

 osity and social instinct; the one prompting 

 the child to investigate the objects and 

 forces with which his life comes in contact, 

 the other leading to a sharing of the know- 

 ledge thus gained with companions and 

 making a practical use of it in his life. 

 Prom this starting point the author develops 

 his nature study theory in a sound and 

 logical manner. He would teach nature 

 study to train the senses and to impart that 

 knowledge of the child's surroundings that 

 will be of practical value and enable him to 

 get the most out of life. 



In the second part of the book a chapter 

 is devoted to each department of nature 

 study work, suggestive subjects and outlines 

 being given, but it is the third part which 

 we believe to be of the greatest value. It 

 contains a graded course for the eight 

 grades with suggestive work for each sea- 

 son of the year. Plant life, tree study, in- 

 sects, birds, animals, physiography and phy- 

 siology are all included. In fact, it might 

 be criticised as being too comprehensive a 

 course, but to the teacher who can select 

 the subjects suited to her class it will be 

 the more valuable on account of the wealth 

 of material it suggests. 



So many of the nature study courses that 

 have been placed in the hands of teachers 

 compel the use of subjects ill-suited to the 

 needs of the pupils that we hope this course 

 prepared by Professor Holtz may become 

 generally known. While we might criticise 

 minor faults, this work remains one of the 

 best books of its kind in the field and we 

 gladly recommend it to teachers and stu- 

 dents who would prepare themselves for 

 the best kind of nature study work. 



E. Earl DuBois. 



Parables From Nature. By Mrs. Alfred 

 Gatty, Cr. 8vo; two volumes in one, pp. 

 558. Illustrated. New York: G. P. 

 Putnam's Sons. 



To the amateur naturalist who is relig- 

 iously inclined, this beautiful book will be 



a treasure, comfort and inspiration. Tak- 

 ing some of the simplest facts in nature, the 

 author weaves about each of them a charm- 

 ing allegory in which the birds, the insects, 

 the lower plants and the watery vapors are 

 the actors, and become the reader's teacher. 

 The green caterpillar on the cabbage leaf 

 suffers agonies of anxiety, when the dying 

 butterfly puts a cluster of eggs in her care, 

 urging her to nourish the young butterflies 

 with nectar and morning dew. What can 

 a crawling caterpillar know about butter- 

 flies and nectar? Her food is coarse cab- 

 bage. But the soaring lark teaches the un- 

 happy caterpillar that "all things work to- 

 gether for good to them that love God," and 

 that her lack of faith was causing her 

 needless trouble. The young sedge warb- 

 lers are worried. "Mother, why do you sing 

 songs about another land? Cannot we all 

 build nests here, and live here always? I 

 want no other land, no other home but this." 

 Then the mother changed her note and sang. 

 "This is not your rest. There is an Un- 

 known Land; where I do not know, but let 

 us go forth to that Unknown Land, wher- 

 ever it may be, in joyful trust." 



The author has a pleasing fancy, and a 

 poetical method of treating scientific facts 

 that make her book a delicate and dainty 

 sermon of the most acceptable and encour- 

 aging kind, and in which she reminds Un- 

 less thoughtful that the laws of Nature, 

 which are the acted will of God, work to- 

 gether in all cases for a good end, for our 

 comfort and to increase our happiness. "It 

 was a blessed creed for the Student of Na- 

 ture, though it cost him a struggle to ad- 

 here to it when the lightning was flashing 

 around him, and the thunder roared in the 

 distance, when he saw from the windows 

 dark clouds hanging over the landscape. 

 But he held fast to the humility and faith 

 of childhood, and where his mind was un- 

 able to penetrate, his heart was contented 

 to believe. Well is it with those who in the 

 secrets of Nature read the wisdom of God." 



The book suggests helpful thoughts, and 

 in this work-a-day world, where briars seem 

 more abundant than flowers, and thorns 

 more numerous than berries, where it is 

 not easy to keep one's faith and trust in the 

 unseen God who really does all things well. 

 it will be consoling. It should remind of 

 better things to come, when the heavens 

 are like brass, and the clouds hard to look 

 through, because they represent mental 

 troubles. The Student of Nature who be- 

 comes despondent, should keep Mrs. Gatty's 

 graceful Parables where he may reach them 

 at a moment's notice. 



