6 PREFACE 



derived from animals is but poorly equipped for the strug- 

 gle for business supremacy if he is not prepared by nature 

 study, nature readings, and other practical instruction along 

 these lines. 



It is believed to-day by those who have given the sub- 

 ject the closest attention that the initial move of the 

 teacher should be to call the attention of the child to the 

 beauties of nature, the works of the Infinite, and thus 

 early inculcate a habit of observation. The toys of the 

 kindergarten should be fruits, flowers, shrubs, trees, peb- 

 bles, and vistas of mountains, hills, lakes, and streams, 

 and nature study in some form should be continuous in 

 school life. 



In the following readings the story of the mammals 

 has been presented on broad lines, divested of technicality, 

 and at almost every step supplemented by forceful and 

 explanatory illustrations as ocular aids to the reader. The 

 subject has been divested of dry detail, and I have intro- 

 duced notes and incidents, the results of personal obser- 

 vation and investigation in various lands and seas, and 

 have given attention to the often neglected fauna of the 

 Pacific coast as well as that of other regions. 



While the volume is a supplementary reader, the matter 

 is so arranged that it can be used by the teacher as a text- 

 book, and the pupil who undertakes the various, *' half- 

 hour readings" of this series will have covered in the 

 main the ground of the ordinary text-book for interme- 

 diate grades in the form of readings. In a word, I have 

 endeavored to make this volume a popular combined re- 

 view and supplemental reader on the mammals. 



CHARLES F. HOLDER. 

 Pasadena, California. 



