CXXII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



be utilized by weather students in the future with every facility. There 

 are already a number of such volumes in existence. And those of the 

 last years have, to a considerable extent, been analyzed and compiled 

 by a staff of specialists so as to give the phenochrons of the coast, low- 

 land and highland belts of each county. These sheets are likewise 

 being bound up in annual volumes. The Nova Scotian table published 

 here is merely the most generalized average of averages. 



A close study of the tables showing individual observations, will 

 create the impression that observers are not always in a position to note 

 the phenomena of the seasons when they first appear. In tliis respect 

 the observations conducted by the public schools are more accurate. 

 For they are made by a large number of individuals travelling nearly 

 every day to school and radiating from this central point of the com- 

 munity for a distance generally of about two miles. As the teachers 

 stimulate " observing " by noting the first one who brings evidence of 

 the first appearance of a flower, etc., there is a great deal of com- 

 petitive observation on the part of the young people. This not only 

 makes the travelling to and from school more interesting; but is found 

 to be a great aid to general "nature study." Accuracy is assured by the 

 V/ringing of the specimen to the school room when practicable. 



But even in schools mistakes may occur through accident in 

 recording, and sometimes from lack of sufficient knowledge of the 

 natural history of the locality. In order to discover such mistakes, 

 and to enable directions to be framed in order to minimize them, as 

 well as for the purpose of studying and compiling regional phenochrons, 

 the observation schedules filled in by the teacher of each school is sent 

 to one of a staff of specialists. Their criticisms are annually published 

 in the Journal of Education of Nova Scotia, which also contains the 

 names of observers and number of observations made in each of the 

 èchools reporting. Under the advice of the staff several changes were 

 inade in the schedules issued after 1902. Next year this schedule 

 may be given in full in my report, the observations contained in it being 

 based on the same list. 



The names and addresses of the Nova Scotian Phonological staff 

 at present are as follows: 



C. B. Eobinson, B.A., Science Master, Pictou Academy. 



E. J. Lay, Principal, Amherst Academy. 



J. E. Barteaux, Science Master, Truro Academy. 



Antoinette Forbes, B.A., Windsor Academy. 



Burgess McKittrick, B.A., Principal, Lunenburg Academy. 



Minnie C. Hewitt, Lunenburg Academy. 



G. E. Marshall, Principal, Kichmond School, Halifax. 



