Cleaves: Nature Study ix the Public Schools 127 



ing of ducks as being unable to perch on a limb or walk grace- 

 fully may be very well for some species, but it cannot be univer- 

 sally applied. For instance, the tree ducks of northeastern South 

 America constantly alight on trees and nest in hollows in them; 

 and our wood duck nests in hollow trees, as do also several other 

 species. As for being awkward while on land, this is so when 

 speaking of the domestic kinds and many wild ones as well, but 

 the green-winged and blue-winged teals are as nimble on the 

 land as they are in the water. And it takes a lively person to 

 capture a young black duck on the run. The illustration of the 

 fishhawk, as well as of many other of the birds mentioned in the 

 book, is miserable, and could scarcely lead to anything but con- 

 fusion in the mind of the child who might happen to go forth 

 to see things for himself. Imagine being able to tell from a dis- 

 tance (as seems to be the case here) the size of a bird's beak. At 

 the bottom of page 133 the author falls into one of the most 

 common errors of those who do not observe, by stating that the 

 fishhawks were collecting the nesting material in their beaks. 

 On page 140 the author errs by stating that the sparrow hawk 

 builds in an old crow nest. These little hawks invariably deposit 

 their eggs in hollow trees. Although many reports have been re- 

 ceived to the effect that children are carried off by the golden 

 eagle, investigation in each case has proved that fancy and not fact 

 was the base of the story. The fact that the author allows her- 

 self to make such a statement indicates that she is not qualified to 

 produce a book for the correct education of the child. 



I have purposely avoided mentioning here at length the pul)lic 

 museum as an aid to nature study in the schools, because I have 

 striven to adhere principally to the subject of living objects. 

 But the museum is one of the most valuable assets of any 

 commonwealth ; an intelligent community could no more dispense 

 with its museum than it could do away with its library. The 

 possibilities for school work by having the staff of a museum 

 cooperate with teachers and pupils are unlimited. In its educa- 

 tional exhibits alone a museum finds its justification, to say 

 nothing of the many other functions which it fulfills. 



