PREFACE. 



THIS book is intended for that increasing class of moderately 

 equipped schools in which it is desired to make a beginning in the 

 study of zoology after the scientific method. Its aim is to put the 

 student in the way of acquiring for himself a knowledge of animal 

 life and structure. It is not intended to supersede the teacher, but 

 rather to relieve him from doing that part of the work for the stu- 

 dent which the student should do for himself, and to give the teacher 

 a wider opportunity. It is written in the firm belief that the student 

 will receive that benefit which belongs peculiarly to this study in just 

 so far as he comes into touch with nature through actual contact with 

 facts. 



The plan presented has been adopted after due deliberation and 

 repeated trial. In the belief that the simplest animal structures are 

 best for illustrating the fundamental ideas of zoology, as well as 

 being easiest understood, four simple types are introduced first. 

 These are for microscopic study, from material to be provided by the 

 teacher, and prepared by him for examination. From the study of 

 these the student may learn the purport of the terms cell, protoplasm, 

 tissue, organ, differentiation, sexuality, etc. With these fundamental 

 ideas mastered, he is prepared to study intelligently any of the higher 

 animals. The novelty of the introductory microscopic work will be 

 a sufficient guaranty of interest in it, and the succeeding work is out- 

 lined in accordance with the tastes and in avoidance of the prejudices 

 of the beginner. Insects are taken up next in order, and the most 

 attractive insects are studied first. 



This is a deliberate but not a purposeless violation of the logical 

 order. Systematic zoology may well be neglected, so long as the 

 student is ignorant of the material to be classified. To start the 

 beginner where the specialist leaves off is an error too often repeated 

 in the teaching of this as of other sciences. Wherever, in the 

 arrangement of the subject-matter of this book, the choice has seemed 



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