' 25 



The chief value of the book appears to lie in the 

 use that may be made — by the teacher — of the multi- 

 plicity of facts presented, treating them purely as 

 suggestions. If he follows the text itself only, he will 

 run a very considerable risk of turning out a few 

 prigs, but if he will take the trouble to take each fact 

 and thoroughl}^ explain the underlying reason, which 

 is not by any means always done in the text, and then 

 group them together, he may very well ground in his 

 pupils, first a habit of observation, and secondly the 

 habit of correctly reasoning thereon. 



In this sense the book may be recommended. A 

 good example of the bare isolated fact loosely given may 

 be seen in the statement that " a carp may be frozen 

 in a block of ice and survive the trial." No attempt 

 is made to show that the fish to survive the trial 

 must be only impriso?ied in the ice. If the natural heat 

 of the fish is insufficient to secure space for the gills to 

 act, the fish will not survive, nor will it survive when 

 it has exhausted the suppl}^ of free oxygen available 

 in the water set free from the ice. A child cannot 

 evolve this for itself. 



We are pleased to note that the authoress points 

 out that many kind-hearted people put food out in 

 their gardens for the birds, but altogether neglect to 

 put out water as well. The book contains a fair 

 number of illustrations. 



