226 NATURE STUDY. 



The work in association and comparison can and 

 should be carried on from the very first with the little 

 ones in the first grade. Gradually, certainly in the 

 second year, they can begin to discriminate more care- 

 fully, pick out essentials, and see something of plan. 

 Later, in the third or fourth grade, and in subsequent 

 years, more emphasis should be placed on recognition 

 of plan, and of principles or laws, and on definite classifi- 

 cation. 



Success in comparison and classification that is, real 

 classification by the pupils, not a mere memorizing of 

 classification given by teacher or book depends almost 

 entirely on the character of the previous study of struc- 

 ture. If the teacher has required definite and exact 

 observation, and if she has kept in view the classifi- 

 cation to come later, and has emphasized those points 

 of structure which she (but not the pupil) knows to 

 be important in classification, there will be compara- 

 tively little difficulty when pupils are old enough for 

 generalization. In comparing the crayfish and crab 

 (see Figs. 23 and 25), to get the general notion of the 

 class of animals (crustacea) to which both belong, the 

 children will recognize the resemblance, if in the study 

 of the crayfish the teacher has dwelt on plan, on the divis- 

 ions and covering of the body and the number, position, 

 and character of legs and other appendages. If she has 

 been satisfied with a glance at form and color and length 

 of parts, and paid little attention to plan, she will find 

 that the children cannot classify for themselves. They 

 have no foundation for it. If in the study of the rabbit 



