210 • NATURE STUDY REVIEW [8::.— .May. 1912 



animals 3. Just why so much more space is devoted to spring 

 studies than to autumn studies is not clear. 



The book is primarily intended for British schools. In order 

 to adapt it to American schools certain modifications should be 

 made. 



(1) The inverse order of evolution in classification is not 

 desirable. 



(2) Many plants and animals suggested for English studies 

 are not proper nature study material with us. Pages 83 to 85 

 contain eight figures of fishes, good material no doubt for English 

 schools, but of little value for American children, 45 of the 225 

 figures are of this character. 



(3) Some of the common names such as minnow, dogfish, 

 robin, goosegrass are misleading to American readers. It would 

 make for clearness if, in figures of plants and animals, the Lin- 

 naean name were used in addition to the common name. 



The chapters dealing with the school museum, the school 

 aquaria, the school vivaria, the rearing of insects, the school gar- 

 den, and nature lantern slides are very valuable to American 

 teachers. 



In general it may be said that the book is a valuable contri- 

 bution to American nature study as regards method rather than 

 matter. — J. A. D. 



The Open Book of Nature: An Introduction to Nature- 

 Study. The Rev. Charles A. Hall. 268 Pages. 115 half-tone il- 

 lustrations, mostly from photographs, and 16 colored plates. Adam 

 & Charles Black. London. 



It is interesting to note the growth of nature-study pure and 

 simple in England ; and this growth seems especially fitting in a 

 country which produced Isaac Walton, Gilbert White, and Rich- 

 ard Jefifries. The Open Book of Nature is the latest addition to 

 this literature, and it is a most companionable and delightful 

 volume. Its avowed purpose is "to stimulate nature interest 

 in young people and to encourage, wherever practicable, pursuit 

 of natural history." The author declares himself an out and 

 out advocate of work in the field and does not highly value "arm- 

 chair natural history." Especially pleasing and wholesome is the 

 following statement in his preface : 



"And one thing I insist upon : No matter how widely a 

 naturalist may travel or how extensive his knowledge may be 

 he ought to know every inch of the ground of his own district. 



