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THE NATURE STUDY COURSE. 



Physiology. — It has proved a good method of introducing 

 physiology and hygiene to have the children compare their own 

 bodies with those of well-known animals as suggested in the 

 Manitoba Course. The comparison may profitably be begun 



From Knight's " Introductory Physiology and Hygiene." 

 Hand, or front foot of various mammals. The first to the left is that of the horse, 

 which walks on one toe (the middle) only ; the next that of the elephant ; the 

 next, the ourangoutang ; the next, the sloth ; and last, the ox. 



even earlier than there indicated. It not only teaches human 

 morphology and organic function but also heightens interest in 

 the animal studies. The child's arms correspond to the fore 

 legs of quadrupeds and the wings of birds. The child easily 

 infers that fact, but it does not surprise or please him nearly so 

 much as when he discovers the joint that may be called the 

 dog's or the cow's elbow or ankle as the case may be. 



In this connection, either here or in the next class, the 

 teacher may give some information if he proceeds to compari- 

 son of the human hand with the animal foot. Even in the 

 highest public school class it will not likely be learned by the 

 Nature Study method that the horse or cow has no collar-bone, 

 that the horse's foot is the middle finger and his hoof is the 

 finger nail of that digit. Such facts as these may be told in 



