28 NATURE STUDY. 



A Word About Collecting. 



BY SUSY C. FOGG. 



The school year is closed, and the boys and girls will 

 be allowed, it is hoped, to pass their vacation in the free 

 open air, unhampered by any save the few imperative re- 

 strictions. 



A glance at the school curriculum of to-day shows that 

 many subjects have been introduced that formerly were 

 unnoticed. Among these, of course, is Nature Study, and 

 it is a cause of growing satisfaction that in so many cases 

 the school instruction is being supplemented in the home, 

 a starting-point for all good reforms. 



And now, suppose the child "collects!" Would it not 

 be well for the person interested, during the summer va- 

 cation, to note whether he snips the blossoms only to carry 

 them about until they wither in his hand; whether the col- 

 lection of butterflies is made only for the pleasure of hav- 

 ing something pretty to look at and to see how many and 

 rare kinds may be gathered in — one of the delights of post- 

 age stamp collections; just ichy he has the egging instinct 

 etc. 



If the collection is a means to an intelligent end of com- 

 parison and study, it is certainly to be recommended ; if 

 onl}' a passing fad and more or less a case of wanton de- 

 struction, it would seem wise to discourage it. 



Some practical individual will say — " Well, if my chil- 

 dren did not pick these flowers, others would, " or, " These 

 butterflies are very short-lived," and, "If these eggs were 

 not taken, the cats would eat the young birds." 



These unquestioned facts do ease the conscience wt^nder- 

 fuUy, and there is an abundance of these things, but is not 

 this the wonder of it all ? 



Why not guard.it while it exists in luxuriant measure 

 and why destroy needlessly where we cannot upbuild ? 



