542 Home Nature-Study Course. 



Facts for the teacher. — The monarch chrysaHs is a short, plump, oblong, little 

 object of the most exquisite green color. It is ornamented with gold and black 

 tubercles and has a band of gold on the back of the third segment of the abdomen. 

 It is one of the most beautiful objects in nature, and should be made a means of 

 aesthetic enjoyment to the child. It is attached to a button of silk by a little, black 

 knob. As this chrysalid is usually hung to the under side of a fence rail or to an 

 overhanging rock, it is usually surrounded by green vegetation, so that its green 

 color is a protection in hiding it from prying eyes. Yet it is hardly from birds 

 that either caterpillar or chrysalis hides, because to most birds this insect is 

 distasteful in all its stages. As it nears time for the butterfly to emerge the chry- 

 salis changes to a duller and darker hue. The butterfly comes out about twelve 

 days after the caterpillar changes to a chrysalis-. 



References: "Everyday Butterflies," Scudder; "How to know the 

 Butterflies," Conistock; "Moths and Butterflies," Dickerson; "Ways of 

 the Six- Footed," Comstock. 



THE HORSE-CHESTNUT. 



Prcli))ii)iary zvork. — -This beautiful shade tree is especially interesting to girls 

 because of the beautiful flowers and to boys because of the nuts, which have been 

 from time immemorial boys' " legal tender."' They might be more interested in the 

 tree if they knew that the species is not native to America. It was introduced 

 from Europe about 150 years ago; the first tree planted is said to be still standing 

 on a country estate near Yonkers, N. Y. The horse-chestnut is a native of south- 

 ern Asia and is found in the high mountains of northern Greece. 



LESSON XVI. 

 THE TREE^ ITS CHAR.VCTER AND SHAPE. 



Purpose. — To draw the pupil's observation to the fact that trees have 

 characteristic shapes and habits of growth which aid in their identifica- 

 tion at any season of the year. 



Observations by the pupils: 



1. What is the shape or general outline of the tree? 



2. Is the foliage thickly massed or open and light ? 



3. Is the coloring light and delicate, or heavy and dark, giving an 

 impression of dense shade? 



4. Is the trunk smooth, or fissured and corrugated ? 



5. What is the general color of the bark on the trunk and large 

 branches ? 



6. What is the color of the younger branches? 



7. What is its habits in branching? Does the trunk divide and 

 spread at the lower branches, or extend far upward with short side 

 branches? 



Facts for the teacher. — If possible take the class in a body to visit a well- 

 formcd, typical horse-chestnut tree. Call attention to its pyramidal shape. It has 

 been well described when in bloom as "A pyramid of green supporting a thou- 

 sand pyramids of white ! " Observe its density of foliage. When walking towards 



