NATURE STUDY LESSONS. 77 



what objects are selected for the purpose. The essential 

 thing is that the observ^ations shall be correct and, as far 

 as possible, original, alvva^'s bearing in mind that it is dis- 

 cipline that is desirable, rather than the mere accumula- 

 tion of facts, however interesting the facts maybe in them- 

 selves. To most people it may be of no particular conse- 

 quence whether a given flower is regular in its structure 

 or otherwise, or whether an insect has six legs or eight : 

 but the power to observe, acquired bj' habituallj' taking 

 notice of such things, is of practical value through life. 



If, for example, we consider the common turtles of our 

 meadows and ponds, we shall find that it matters little 

 whether we know an)'tliing about them or not, so far as 

 any good the knowledge can do us in the course of our or- 

 dinar}' affairs ; and yet they possess peculiarities of struc- 

 ture which render them interesting objects of stud}^ while 

 the different species, seemingly closely resembling one an- 

 other, are in reality so dissimilar that they afford an es- 

 pecially good opportunity for the exercise of the faculty of 

 observ^ation. Therefore, for this month's lesson in nature 

 stud}"-, let us select 



THE TURTLE. 



Turtles abound most in warm climates, but are quite 

 numerous as far north as New England. They can be found 

 on almost any nature study trip b}^ giving a little attention 

 to hunting for them. 



In moist places in the fields and meadows may be found 

 the wood tortoise, a sober sort of turtle, of a brown or red- 

 dish brown color above, the shell having a ridge in its mid- 

 dle along the back. Each plate of the shell underneath 

 has a black blotch. 



In mud-holes and in small ponds, often resting on a log 

 or stone above the water, one may almost always find the 

 painted turtle, which has the margin of the shell marked 



