54 



soon understands that an observation is worth nothini^- unless it 

 is truthful. On the other hand, nature-study cultivates the 

 imagination. The wonders in the lives of insects, plants and 

 birds are so illimitable that almost anything seems possible. Few 

 indeed are the studies wherein the fire kindled by imaginative 

 sccnmig is guarded and checked by the facts of actual seeing. 



There are a few points in favor of beginning with insects when 

 the child first attempts making a collection of natural objects. 

 Insects are to be found everywhere and are easily caught; and 

 it requires no technical skill to preserve them as is the case with 

 birds; while they retain their natural forms and colors better than 

 do flowers. To secure the desired results for the pupil when he is 

 making his collection of insects the teacher should take care that 

 he makes his observations incidentally ; thus subserving the true 

 methods of nature-study, which is to teach the child while he 

 remains unconscious of the fact that he is being taught. The 

 teacher should therefore ask the young collector "Where did 

 you catch this butterfly?" "Where did you find this beetle?" 

 " Upon what plant or flower did you find this bug?" "Did you 

 hear this cricket chirp? If so, how did he do it?" etc., etc. 

 Thus making him tell orally or in a written language lesson the 

 things he has seen while collecting. The differences in the 

 appearance and structure of the insects caught should also be 

 brought out by questions. These questions may be adapted to 

 pupils of any age and the success of this part of the work must 

 ever depend upon the interest and genius of the teacher. 



The objection is sometimes raised that collecting and killing 

 insects and birds incite the child to cruelty and wanton destruc- 

 tion of life. This seems good a priori reasoning but experience 

 does not confirm it. We have always found that those who col- 

 lect and take an interest in insect life are much more careful about 

 killing or hurting insects than are other people ; the entomologist 

 of all men taking the greatest pains to avoid stepping upon 

 the caterpillar or cricket in his path; also the young ornitho- 

 logists who have come under our observation show the greatest 

 devotion to the rights and interests of birds. Our experience is 

 that as soon as the child begins to take an interest in insects he 

 begins to see matters from their point of view and this insures a 

 proper'regard for their right to life. It will be well, however, 

 for the teacher to impress upon the pupil that he should kill no 

 insect that is not desired for his collection. 



