666 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



The course on animals for primary schools, as given in our 

 first lesson, begins with the star-fish, and takes up in succession 

 the following subjects : The sea-urchin ; the star-fish and sea- 

 urchin compared ; the earth-worm ; a bivalve shell ( Cyprina) ; 

 clam-shell ; oyster-shell ; clam- and oyster-shell compared ; living 

 snail ; snail-shell ; miscellaneous shells, including pearly nautilus ; 

 simple classification of shells ; lobster or crayfish ; crab ; lobster 

 and crab compared ; habits of crabs ; locust ; young living dragon- 

 fly ; beetle ; butterfly ; life-history of butterfly ; moth and life- 

 history ; bees and their habits ; insects in general. 



This course covers twenty weeks, devoting two hours a week 

 to the subject. In a general way it may be stated, though of 

 course there is no inflexible rule in regard to time, that the first 

 hour is given to the observation and drawing of the specimen, the 

 first fifteen minutes of the second hour to a review of the obser- 

 vations already made, the following thirty minutes to a written 

 description of the specimen, and the last fifteen minutes to a talk 

 about the habits of the animal. If the habits are discussed before 

 the written work is done, the results are not as good, for the reason 

 that it is much easier for children to describe vaguely the habits 

 of animals than to give accurate, concisely stated observations. 

 In almost every case (excepting, perhaps, two or three animals 

 repugnant to many children, as, for instance, the earth-worm and 

 spider) the teacher will obtain the most satisfactory results by 

 taking structure first and habits afterward. In the primary 

 course no alcoholic specimens are used, but living animals when 

 possible and dried specimens. 



The course for grammar schools begins with the horny sponge, 

 and includes the following subjects: Silica sponge (Geodia); 

 horny and silica sponge {Chalina); sponges compared; a simple 

 animal {Hydra); sea-anemone; coral animal (Galaxea) ; sea- 

 anemone and coral animal compared ; corals {Madrepore, fan 

 coral) ; star-fish and sea-urchin compared ; earth-worm and salt- 

 water worm {Nereis) compared ; clam- and oyster-shell compared ; 

 snail and pearly nautilus ; habits of salt- and fresh-water mollusks ; 

 lobster or crayfish ; crab and barnacle ; lobster ; crab and barnacle 

 compared ; spiders ; habits of spiders ; locust and larva ; dragon- 

 fly and larva ; locust and dragon-fly compared ; squash-bug and 

 larva ; review insects with direct or " incomplete " metamorphosis ; 

 butterfly and caterpillar ; beetle and grub ; fly and maggot ; bees ; 

 simple classification of insects. 



In this course dried, alcoholic, and living specimens are used. 

 The course may be given in twenty weeks, or forty hours, provided 

 the children have gone through the primary course ; otherwise, 

 it can not be given, as good comparative work can only be done 

 after accurate observational and descriptive work. 



