Report of the Executive Committee 69 



are asked to note, e.g., all the birds they see during a set time: {a) name 

 of bird, {b) colour, (r) song or cry, {d) flight, {e) habits, and so on. 



" They also bring wild flowers as in the upper department. 



"Our Nature -study then may be summed up as an otit-of-school 

 recreation, strictly voluntary, practically all his knowledge must be 

 '■found out^ by the boy himself, the teacher being merely a director ^ 



At the Churchill Boys' School, Chipping Norton — 



"Occasional walks with the master are taken, and these with a 

 distinct object, e.g. to see tree-planting, to a quarry, to a lake, to hear 

 birds, &c, 



"Aimless wandering is not encouraged; it tends to a loose careless- 

 ness and disrespect of fences and proper consideration of other people's 

 property — and these walks are only occasional. 



" Boys are strongly impressed against indiscriminate gathering of our 

 wild flowers. The list of these up to this time contains 216 species. 



"A list has this year been kept of the birds known here, giving the 

 nesting-place, stating by whom found, with the date of discovery. The 

 list contains 42 birds. The boys are * on their honour ' to destroy no 

 nests and not to injure the birds in any way." 



In the exhibit of the Gladstone Manual Training School, 

 Cardiff— 



" The particular phase of Nature-study which it is intended to illus- 

 trate is the correlation of subjects between the manual room * wood- 

 work ' with the drawing and composition lessons of ordinary school 

 routine, together with walks amongst the trees, methods of preserving 

 specimens, and of observing the different qualities and textures of wood, 

 trees and their fruits, for future reference and lantern illustrations during 

 the winter months, when pleasing recollections of summer rambles and 

 work may be called up in the minds of the children. 



" By mounting the leaves between two glasses the child may hold up 

 specimens to the light, particularly noting the prominent veins, and also 

 the net-work of smaller connecting ones. 



" An exact copy may be drawn and the actual specimen laid over for 

 a test. The children will recall to memory the tree itself — formation of 

 trunk, branches, fruit, &c., and should by these methods be enabled to 

 write down clearly, distinctly, and fully, with pen-and-ink sketches 

 illustrating the text, a vivid account of the walk." 



