DECEJIBER 121 



In the lateral line are located sense organs, whose 

 exact function is not as yet satisfactorily determined. 

 The appearance is due to the perforation of the scales in 

 that region. 



The whole body of the fish is covered" with a skin, 

 underneath which are the numerous protecting scales, all 

 of which point backward — one of the many adaptations 

 of the parts of the fish to forward movement. 



The viscera are all situated in a body cavity in the 

 lower forward part of the body. All the rest of the fish 

 (except, of course, the head) is made up of bone and 

 muscle. 



Many fish are so transparent that it is quite easy to 

 make out the much-coiled intestine, and above it the 

 silvery air bladder, which helps to keep it afloat. 



Method : 



Lead the children to observe the breathing, eating, and 

 motion of the fish by watching and feeding the animals 

 before and after school. 



Give each child a piece of paper and tell her to write a 

 sentence, telling the number of fins which the gold fish 

 has. 



Invariably they say five. 



Give to each a hektograph drawing telling them that 

 they may reconsider their answer. 



Send to the aquarium those who do not yet see that 

 with the two pairs of paired fins there are altogether 

 seven fins. 



Teach them the names of the fins. 



Give them, a few at a time, such questions as these to 

 be answered by observation: Of what use is the tail to 

 the fish? Which fins are most used in swimming? 



