SCHOOL COURSES. 21 



II. ANIMAL STUDIES : 



The school should be supplied with a fresh water aqua- 

 rium containing the commoner animals of the pools. The 

 children are to be made familiar with these so as to know by 

 name tadpoles, newts, gnats, water boatmen, water beetles, 

 pond skaters, etc. ; also they should have a general know- 

 ledge, acquired by observation, of their feeding and breath- 

 ing habits, and of the more obvious changes which some of 

 them undergo. Drawings are to be made by the teacher 

 at the lesson time, scholars are to identify and to write out 

 sentences descriptive of the facts learned. 



The rearing of insects should form a definite work of 

 this class. The scholars will bring food when required, 

 they will assist with the cleaning out of the cages. As a 

 definite exercise, some time should be spent regularly 

 watching the feeding of the caterpillars, and noting gener- 

 ally their behaviour. 



The teacher will draw from time to time the outline of 

 a caterpillar, and on each occasion draw attention to the 

 more important structural points which they can easily 

 verify. 



Definite lessons on a series of familiar animals should 

 be included in this course. Circumstances will largely 

 determine what examples are to be taken, but the lessons 

 should be taught on observational lines. 



As examples may be suggested the commoner domesti- 

 cated animals sheep, ox, pig, horse, dog, cat, rabbit, etc. 

 In revision lessons, comparisons should be made on such 

 points as food and mode of feeding ; distinctive peculiari- 

 ties in locomotion ; types of limb, with number of toes ; 

 characters of coat, etc. Drawings should be made on the 

 blackboard. 



As opportunities arise simple lessons may be given on 

 the commoner wild animals of the country, e.g. weasels and 

 stoats are to be got without much difficulty from game- 

 keepers. Such animals as these may be stuffed, without 

 being set up, at a trifling cost. Hedgehogs, moles, and 

 bats are other types not at all difficult to procure. All 

 distinctive habits of such animals should be noted, and 



