70 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:2— Feb., 1920 



attempt to defeat the purpose of these laws. Some of these 

 children will some day make other laws and the only thing this 

 generation can ask of them is that they keep in mind that all law 

 should consider what is the just thing for all concerned. No fear 

 need arise as to the future of our national resources if we can edu- 

 cate a generation which will see that the privileges we gain from the 

 possession of these resources should not be abused. If the legisla- 

 tors in Iowa who attempted to make it permissable to kill quail, 

 (the farmer's best friend), and refused to consider a law making it 

 possible to kill stray cats, (surely not a friend of the farmer), had 

 learned concerning the life history of a quail in their youth, they 

 never would have taken the selfish stand some of them did. Some- 

 times it seems to be the perversity of human nature to abuse oiir 

 friends and help our enemies. It is hoped that Nature-Study as 

 taught through the Cornell Rural School Leaflet will at least help 

 us to recognize our friends and enemies when we see them. 



Another new feature of the January Leaflet which is strictly 

 seasonal is a section known as "Fifty Interesting Things to Look 

 For in January, February and March." The topics considered 

 under this heading are chosen from the fields of botany, zoology, 

 meteorology, entomology and ecology. Each topic is treated in 

 a more or less uniform manner. First a description of the creature 

 or phenomenon as it appears in the field is given. This is followed 

 by the name of the form together with a question which requires 

 additional observation. In order that the child be given credit 

 for having observed what is asked for, he should be required to 

 answer the questions based on the additional observation. This 

 does away with the objection raised by some teachers that children 

 will report having seen a thing when they really haven't. They 

 do not mean to falsify but their imagination runs away with them. 

 The questions requiring observation do away with this undesir- 

 able possibility. 



An example of the manner in which one of these topics is treated 

 is shown as follows : ' ' Watch for a little gray bird which shows two 

 white tail feathers when it flies. It is the junco. Does it hop or 

 walk? What color is its breast? What color is its bill?" One of 

 the main purposes of this section is to direct observations of 

 children so that the material in subsequent nimibers of the Leaflet 

 may fall at least on partially prepared ground. 



