II. STUDY OF ANIMAL LIFE 



There does not appear to be any necessity for dealing 

 separately with the thirty-three lessons on animal life 

 that are to be found in the Tropical Headers (Book I, 

 Part I; Book II, Part I). The lines to be adopted in 

 teaching this section will be very similar for each animal. 

 The teacher's object will naturally be to ensure the chil- 

 dren's taking a lively interest in the subject, and this 

 can best be done by encouraging them to make and 

 record their own observations. 



KINDNESS TO ANIMALS 



The modern trend of this branch of education is to 

 insist on the study of animals in their natural haunts 

 rather than to destroy them for the purpose of examin- 

 ing their dead bodies. It is not thought at all desirable 

 that children should be encouraged to collect and kill 

 specimens such as birds, insects, &c, nor should they 

 be allowed to keep live animals in captivity. Much 

 good will be done if no opportunity is lost of impressing 

 on the pupils the necessity of kindness to all animals. 



Birds, insects, spiders, and other creatures should not 

 be kept confined in boxes or cages. They should never 

 be handled roughly. Their homes or nests should not 

 be destroyed or interfered with. The children should 

 be made to realize the necessity of taking the greatest 

 care of animals belonging to them, of giving them a 

 liberal and regular supply of food and of water, and 

 of cleaning their cages, nests, stables, &c. 



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