Report of the Executive Committee 73 



Similarly at the Cambridge Training College for secondary 

 teachers — 



" Incidental work forms a large part of the Nature-study. Common 

 objects of pond, garden, and field are studied in their natural surround- 

 ings, and, if possible, brought home to be studied in greater detail in 

 leisure moments. 



'' Observations on the weather are made every day, and are recorded 

 on charts." 



The systematic work at this College has been described 

 as follows: — 



•' Two hours a week are given to scientific work. During these, the 

 students receive systematic instruction. The first two terms are devoted 

 to experimental investigations on water and air. The students treat the 

 subject from the point of view of a discoverer, and their work is sup- 

 plemented by demonstrations of some more elaborate experiments and 

 by accounts of work which cannot be attempted with the means and 

 time at their disposal. In the third term biological work is done, 

 treated in the same way." 



The special features of the exhibits shown by the College 

 were : — 



'* I. Illustrations suitable for large classes. They are bold in outline 

 and colouring. The black outline characteristic of wall-pictures is avoided 

 by cutting out the painted object and pasting it on to the mount — this 

 makes the picture stand out from the mount. In many instances parts 

 of the picture are not pasted down and are painted on both sides, e.g. 

 wings of butterflies, petals of flowers, &c., making the whole more real 

 in appearance, more nearly approaching a model. Pictures ' made to 

 open', to show things hidden, e.g. larva in mud, caddis- worm in case, 

 internal structure, &c. , are equally characteristic of the exhibit. 



" 2. Living animals that are easily found and reared in captivity with 

 least cruelty. They have life-histories and habits so interesting that 

 they form suitable material for nature lessons. The animals were shown 

 in the common jam-pots in which they are kept at college." 



The opinions which guide the teachers at the Froebel 

 Institute may also be given here: — 



" They ' feel strongly that the study of natural history has been, and 

 often is still, far too much studied from books instead of from the living 



