BULLETIN 124. DECEMBER, 1902 



Ontario Agricultural College and Experimental Farm. 



NATURE STUDY. 



James Mills, M.A.. LL.D. 



Most people look at many things which the}' do not see, and hear 

 many sounds to which they pay little or no attention. There are, for 

 instance, many intellig'ent Canadians who have been looking- at ash and 

 elm trees all their lives, and they could not describe the bark, leaves, or 

 general appearance of these two kinds of trees, so as to distinguish one 

 from the other. They have also, no doubt, noticed half a dozen or more 





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Fig. 1. What birds are these ? 

 What trees are these '? 



species of birds in their fields or lawns from year to year, and have heard 

 them sing very sweetly, and yet have little or no knowledge of most of 

 them, — their color, markings, songs, or habits. 



The aim of nature study is to interest men and women, and especi- 

 ally boys and girls, in the natural objects which they look at, handle, 

 taste, or smell from day to day, in order that they may acquire the habit 

 of observing closelv, and so get all the pleasure possible out of their 



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