466 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 



Autumn Term. 



1. The study of some typical unicellular organisms, e.g. Amceba, Paramoecium, 

 Euglena, Vorticella, Protococcus. 



2. The relation of function to structure in multicellular organisms, e.g. Hydra, 

 Earthworm, Fucus, Fern. Simple dissections are necessary. 



3. The study of a bird's skeleton as a striking example of adaptation of structure 

 to function. A comparison with our own skeleton is profitable. 



Spring Term and Summer Term. 



1. Experimental study of plant physiology and the general structure of flowering 

 plants : Growth and development of root and shoot, regions of maximum growth. 

 Reactions to gravity, light and water. Respiration. Passage of water through the 

 plant and transpiration. Nutrition : minerals from soil, carbon assimilation and 

 photosynthesis, food stores. 



2. Study of the reproduction of flowering plants. Simple experiments in pollina- 

 tion of flowers. Study of highly speciaUsed structures ensuring cross-fertilisation. 

 Significance of cross and self-fertilisation. Parthenogenesis. 



3. Formation and structure of typical fruits. 



N.B. — As some of the experiments in plant physiology, e.g. those on photosynthesis, 

 cannot be carried out with reasonable success in winter or early spring and many 

 flowers can be studied early in spring, the work of the spring and summer terms 

 cannot be kept strictly apart. 



Third Year. 



The pupils' studies of animals and plants and of the common factor of their 

 ' aliveness ' having reached the problems of reproduction and associated specialisation 

 of structure in plants, the subject of the continuity of life receives attention. It is 

 important that the pupils be shown how to make personal observations in the field 

 which bear on the subject in hand. As a model of method in this procedure they 

 should become acquainted with Gilbert White's Selborne. Their laboratory work 

 also should become amplified and supplemented by wide and generous reading, so 

 that the results of their own experiments and observations may be viewed in proper 

 perspective. 



Autumn Term. 



1. Result of the summer activity of plants : seed formation. The class should 

 count the number of seeds produced by single plants of many difierent kinds and 

 estimate the number of young plants produced. Account for the difference in these 

 numbers, finding evidence out-of-door for all explanations provided. Much of this 

 work is done individually or by small groups and the results are contributed to a 

 olass-record. 



2. Special adaptations in fruits and seeds for successful dispersal. 



3. Study of the productivity of some animal types, e.g. green-fly (aphis), wasps, 

 spiders. Examine Linnaeus' famous statement, ' Tres muscae consumunt cadav r 

 equi, aeque cito ac leo.' 



4. Evidences of a struggle for existence and continuance. 



5. Contrivances in animals and plants which make for success in the struggle. 

 Special modifications of structure. On this subject the pupils' out-door observations 

 must be supplemented by visits to museums and reading. 



6. All the seeds produced by one species of plant are essentially aUke, so are all 

 the leaves of any one species of tree. Challenge the class to find two beech leaves or 

 two bean seeds aUke in every respect. 



7. The class should measure the length of several hundred bean seeds (of one 

 kind) and plot a graph showing the number of seeds for each increase in length of 

 1 mm. between the minimum and maximum. Similar graphs can be constructed 

 on the weight of these seeds, on the number of prominent veins on each side of several 

 hundred beech leaves. The pupils will not only see that similar individuals vary, but 

 that they vary in a certain way. 



8. Discussion of the possible origins or variations. 



