356 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [14:8— Nov., 1918 



They enjoy this much more when they make their own nets from a sawn broom 

 handle, then a bit of wire twisted into circular shape serves for the rim if a 

 hoop is not obtainable. This makes an excellent net frame. One and one- 

 half yards of butterfly netting to complete the net need be the only expense. 

 More children know how to make butterfly nets than understand the making 

 of killing bottles and of pinning blocks for the pinning specimens. Some of 

 the clearest information obtainable on the collection and preservation of insect 

 specimens is to be found in the chapters on these subjects in Dr. Comstock's 

 "Insect Life." 



The war has taught us so much about food conservation that all America 

 is awake to the fact that no child's education is really complete without several 

 years of vacation collecting and learning the difference between beneficial 

 and injurious insects. One of the best books obtainable on this subject is 

 "Beneficial and Injurious Insects of California" by Essig. 



Any one of the 2 141 branches of the California County Libraries will give 

 advice as to obtaining books on nature-study for the child learning to read 

 a roadside as he would a book. 



From California Nature Study League. (Care of C. M. Goethe, 720 Capital 

 National Bank Bldg., Sacramento.) 



Poisonous Buckeyes are Cousins to Nuts Germans Use for Food 



Filtering across the Swiss border comes the report that starving, yet efficient 

 Germany is utilizing the food content of the horse chestnut, having found a 

 way to neutralize its undesirable portion. 



In doing this, the Teutons are repeating California Indian history. In 

 times of famine the Diggers made use of the buckeye, the California cousin of 

 this European horse chestnut. The meat of the fruit or nut of our native 

 tree, if eaten, is poisonous. 



The Indians, with their wonderful mastery of their environment, had, under 

 pressure of hunger, learned how to leach out this poison, leaving a satisfying 

 residue, appetizing to the famine-stricken. 



The submarine and camouflage have their counterpart in the insect world. 

 Children exploring ponds and creeks for animals for their aquarium circus often 

 find a mud colored monster with an almost uncanny extension jaw. This 

 common dweller below the water is the larva of the dragon fly. When an 

 adult, it earns the name of "Swiftest of winged creatures." Then it is be- 

 decked with flashing sapphire, emerald or garnet. In its nursery in the mud, 

 however, its dress is camouflaged and is the color of the muck in which it 

 awaits its next meal. Children delight in watching it use its extension jaw, 

 which it shoots out to seize unsuspecting prey. 



Every child should have an aquarium with such occupants as the larvae 

 of the damsel fly and of the dragon fly. One needs only a glass fruit jar, a 

 handful of sand, and some clear water. Children learning to read a roadside 

 as they would a book will find few things more interesting than such an 

 aquarium stocked with catches made while exploring roadside pools or creeks. 

 Full aquarium directions are to be found in the chapter of "Breeding Insects" 

 in Dr. Comstock's "Insect Life" to be had from most of the 2141 branches of 

 the California County Library System. 



