188 * THE NATURE STUDY COURSE. 



be used as a test for eyesight. In the western half of the sky 

 make out the Twins, the Little •and Great Dogs, Capella, 

 Orion and Taurus. On the east the Lion is well up, in the 

 south-east notice the Virgin and Corvus, and in the north-east 

 Arcturus and the Northern Crown. Arcturus is easily indi- 

 cated by following the curve of the handle of the Big Dipper 

 around to the Tropic of Cancer. Arcturus, Spica and Dene- 

 bola make a great equilateral triangle. (See map, p. 184). 



With a little assistance these groups can be easily identified 

 by a Second Reader class, and if the teacher has access to 

 any of the numerous elementary books on stellar astronomy 

 he will be able to maintain an educative interest in the 

 subject all the year round and in all the classes. 



The planets cannot be located on permanent maps because 

 they are always changing their relative positions among the 

 stars \ one or more of them is seldom absent from the evening 

 sky. They vary in brightness according to their relative 

 position in respect to the earth and the sun. They are easily 

 identified from the table of latitude and the meridian passage, 

 that is the time of day when they are directly south or on the 

 zenith meridian, published annually in the "Canadian 

 Almanac." This table gives the position of Mercury, Venus, 

 Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, every tenth day in the year. 



An astronomical almanac, or the " Canadian Almanac," is 

 almost indispensable to a teacher who is directing Nature 

 Study observations on the phenomena of the celestial 

 luminaries. There are three good chapters in " Public School 

 Nature Study." Among elementary books, Steele's "New 

 Astronomy," Todd's "New Astronomy," Bowen's "Astronomy 

 by Observation," and Ball's " Starland," may be recommended. 

 Mary Proctor's " Stories of Starland " is suited to readers in 

 the Second and Third Forms. 



