PREFACE 



that the pupils should become acquainted with some of the 

 important works on zoology and thus learn where infor- 

 mation may be secured on the topics in which they may 

 be interested, than to spend much time in memorizing 

 terms and recording details never to be of any service in 

 later life. The most effective mental discipline is experi- 

 enced by him who investigates any assigned subject by 

 personal observations of the animals concerned, and by 

 consulting the several pamphlets and books treating of the 

 subject, and then after arranging his information in logical 

 order presents it to the rest of the class in language and 

 drawings sufficiently clear to be comprehended. 



The growing custom of allowing the work recorded in 

 the note book to take the place of oral recitation is a bad 

 one. The mental discipline and exhilaration resulting 

 from the expression of one's matured thoughts before 

 his associates can be secured in no other way. A number 

 of questions should be assigned the class for each recita- 

 tion, in addition to one or two special topics to be reported 

 on by one or two members allowed a week or more to in- 

 vestigate them. In some schools the instructor will find 

 it wise to omit certain subjects discussed in the text owing 

 to the need of time for more extended laboratory work and 

 the investigation of topics in which his community may 

 be specially interested. 



A comparatively small amount of laboratory work is 

 indicated, and the animals to be used are such as may be 

 secured almost anywhere. Detailed directions concern- 

 ing the examination and dissection of specimens have been 

 largely omitted in order that the pupil may have some op- 

 portunity to think for himself. Moreover, different schools 



