lO THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [i, i, jan. 1905 



truth ; the purpose of nature-study is rather the development of 

 sentiment or possibly the acquisition of some bit of expert infor- 

 mation. If, for example, we study the deer as a matter of sci- 

 ence, we seek to learn all about his structure, his relationships, 

 genesis, habits, etc. ; as students of nature-study we may choose 

 to ignore many of these things and think of the deer only as a 

 beautiful living creature, having certain habits and relations to 

 our parks and forests. But, it would not do to consider the deer 

 as having horns like those of a cow, or as making in the forest 

 foot-prints like those of a colt, or paths like the streets of a city. 

 Nature-study when dealing with animals is real zoology ; it may 

 not declare the entire body of known scientific truth in the par- 

 ticular case, but at least it will in no particular contravene zoolog- 

 ical fact. And so when dealing with plants ; nature-study is 

 botany so far as it goes. It is not myth, it is not nonsense, nor 

 childish legend, it is truth, scientifically ascertained and supported, 

 truth, simply and clearly stated. 



There are, however, it would appear, very many people, even 

 teachers, who so little appreciate the simple truth of science, as 

 to esteem it dry and of itself uninteresting. The life-history of 

 the barnacle does not appeal to such at all ; they much prefer the 

 tale of the barnacle-goose. Such people will always prefer bar- 

 nacle-goose stories, whether of the sixteenth century or of the 

 twentieth, and for these real nature-study is out of the question. 

 Unfortunately, such people still persist in believing themselves 

 true nature-students and too often write volumes for the guidance 

 of others. People who by actual experience know nothing about 

 the natural world, by the aid of such books find themselves com- 

 petent to teach nature-study, or in the language of the schedules, 

 to undertake " the nature-work," and the blind go on leading the 

 blind into a maze of fable and foolishness to which the history of 

 education in recent times affords scarcely a parallel. Books of this 

 sort are so numerous that they need not be here cited. All this 

 kind of thing has served to bring the nature-study effort into 

 disrepute, and many eminent men of science and of the schools 

 look upon the whole matter as superficial, insincere and hence 

 mischievous in the extreme. The remedy lies in the definition 

 and encouragement of real nature-study, as against every fad and 

 fashion whatsoever. Nature-study to be of any service at all, 

 must concern itself primarily with the truth, whatever the ulti- 



