398 Junior Naturalist Monthly. 



we do not send lessons, there will be many opportunities for you to con- 

 tinue your observational work. We shall suggest several subjects for 

 study and each young naturalist may select one from among them. He 

 must send the results of his observation to us by October 15th. We do 

 not care for any information in these compositions that you have found 

 in books or that some older person has told you. The prizes will be 

 books on outdoor subjects and will be given to those whose compositions 

 show actual outdoor study by the naturalist who writes the paper. Some 

 children enjoy one line of outdoor study and some another. Make your 

 selection from the following: 



1. The study of plant and animal life along a country roadside. 



2. The study of a brook and the brookside. All life in and along 

 a brook. 



3. What you have learned about bird life. We shall be particularly 

 interested in information obtained on the value of birds to the farmer. 



4. What you can learn from personal observation of the animals of 

 field and forest. In this line of observation, it would be well for you 

 to consider the field mice, muskrats, squirrels, moles, woodchucks, and 

 any other life that you find. Observe snakes, toads, and salamanders. 

 These creatures are often useful. Can you find out in what ways? Try 

 to get over your fear of small snakes. Study their habits. 



5. The history of one tree from May 20th to October ist. The kind 

 of tree; where it stands; when it blossoms; the kind of fruit it bears; 

 the insect and bird life in connection with the tree; whether or no it 

 makes a good shade tree ; how long it has stood in the place where you 

 found it; whether the tree has been abused in any way and if so, how; 

 \vhether the tree has marked characteristics by which you can tell it 

 when it has no leaves. 



6. The story of your garden. Where it is located ; when you planted 

 it; how you planted; what you planted. Write about the care of the 

 garden ; the i)ests that annoyed you most ; the weeds that annoyed you 

 most; the birds, butterflies, and other forms of life that came to your 

 garden. 



7. The history of some plant colony either in woods, along the way- 

 side, or in a corner of your garden. Give the size of the region you 

 studied; what plants you found growing there; which ])lant seemed most 

 thrifty; why you think this coml)ination of plants associated with each 

 other. 



S. The study of some insect pest such as potato beetle, peach borer, 

 tent caterpillar, mosquito. In this line of work we would like to have 

 the young naturalist secure specimens of the insect and find out as much 

 as possible of its life history. 



