NATURE STUDY LESSONS. 1 9 



small, may be sent to the editor of Nature Study, who 

 will gladly acknowledge their receipt, and forward them to 

 the custodian of the fund. 



Nature Study Lessons. I. 



BY EDWARD J. BURNHAM. 



It is proposed to make "Nature Study Lessons" a 

 characteristic and permanent feature of Nature Study. 

 There are man}- parents, aunts, big brothers and sisters, 

 wdio would gladly add to the pleasures of a walk afield by 

 helping the little folks to " see things," if the}' themselves 

 knew what to look for and where to find it. There will be 

 no attempt at systematic arrangement in these papers. It 

 is Nature Study's conviction that there has been too 

 much of this in writings for children in recent years. The 

 succession of backbones, somewhat broken, from the lance- 

 lot to man is of profound interest and deep significance, 

 but is hardly within the comprehension of the child. 



There will be for the present no attempt at dissection, 

 and there w'ill be little need of killing. Objects will be 

 selected that are easily come by, and the lesson will be timed 

 for the most favorable season of the 3'ear. In accordance 

 with this plan we will begin with a short study of 



THE FROG. 



Frogs were in ponds and streams during the spring, where 

 the females laid their eggs and the males made the nights 

 noisy. Now^ they are mostly on shore, in meadows and 

 moist fields, near water. Do not hurry to catch them, but 

 watch them carefully. Find one that is still and see how 

 he sits on his haunches. See what he does with his legs. 

 Watch his breathing, especially' obser\'ing his throat, sides 

 and nostrils. vSee him wink or seem to wink. Sometime 



