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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1297 



significance as a factor in a general education. 

 Throughout the course, the fundamental value 

 of hiological science to human welfare is em- 

 phasized, and no opportunity is lost to apply 

 biological principles to the life of man. The 

 broad, philosophical bearing of these principles 

 is in no wise impaired by an appeal to prac- 

 tical interests, where such an appeal can be 

 legitimately made. 



This is the spirit behind the regulation of 

 our college of arts and science which requires 

 of all its students for graduation the introduc- 

 tory course in either botany or zoology. It 

 seems seK-evident to us that a type course does 

 not and can not fulfill such a purpose. 



General principles, not phyla and classes, 

 furnish the points d'appui on which we attempt 

 to build up both the lectures and the work of 

 the laboratory. The animals that are used in 

 the laboratory are studied not as representa- 

 tives of groups, but rather as sample animals, 

 convenient forms for observation and suitable 

 for illustrating principles. Structure is never 

 divorced from function in the instruction, and 

 anatomical facts that fall within the scope of 

 the course are not presented as of interest per 

 se, but only as bearing upon general principles 

 or as having some useful application. 



The course is based upon the following 

 fundamental aspects of zoological science, no 

 one of which is unduly emphasized or slighted : 

 (1) The organization of animals, both struc- 

 tural and functional; (2) the relation of ani- 

 mals to their environment, both general and 

 si)ecific (including economic considerations 

 and relation of animals to disease) ; (3) the 

 origin of the individual; and (4) the relation 

 between successive generations of animals. 

 • The several sections of the class are under 

 the direction of different instructors, and each 

 man is free to work out his own method of 

 presentation of facts and their appHoation to 

 principles, but the final result and the spirit 

 and the purpose of the course are the same 

 throughout, although it may happen that the 

 end is reached by somewhat different methods 

 and arrangements of material. 



The following outline, while not attempting 

 to set forth details, fairly well represents the 



general scope and nature of our introductory 

 course. 



I. Introduction. Lectures: (1) Definitions; 

 scope and position of zoology among the sci- 

 ences; historical background of zoological sci- 

 ence; (2) fundamental aspects of zoology; (3) 

 protoplasm and its properties ; (4) fundamental 

 structure and functions of animals— the cell as 

 the unit of structure and function. 



II. The Organ-Systems and Theie Func- 

 tions. (A) Lectures: Based on the laboratory 

 work on the frog, with reference, however, to 

 other forms, including man; foods and the 

 principles of nutrition are emphasized. (B) 

 Laboratory work: The study of the organs of 

 the frog and their functions, with numerous 

 demonstrations and simple experiments. The 

 concept of the animal as a cellular organism, 

 as well as that of cell-differentiation, is built 

 up through a study of tissues, both macerated 

 and in section, of the frog and other animals. 



III. Relations to Envieonment. (A) Lec- 

 tures: General ecological relations; adapta- 

 tions, behavior, etc., with special reference to 

 the frog. (B) Lahoratory work: Observations 

 and experiments on the frog and other forms. 



IV. The Protozoa. (A) Lectures: General 

 characteristics; structure; functions, including 

 reactions and reproduction; relations to en- 

 vironment; relation to disease. (B) Lahora- 

 tory worh: Study of Ammha, Euglena, 

 Paramwcium, Gregarines; observations and 

 experiments to illustrate general principles; 

 demonstrations of pathogenic protozoa and 

 other unicellular organisms. 



V. Hydra. (A) Lectures: The study of 

 Hydra as a simple m.etazoon and the beginning 

 of cell-differentiation. Reproduction in the 

 Coelenterata. (B) Lahoratory worh: The study 

 of Hydra and a hydroid colony. Demonstra- 

 tion of other Coelenterates. 



VI. Insects. (A) Lectures: Structure; 

 life-histories; adaptations; habits and social 

 relations; parasitism; insects as carriers of 

 pathogenic organisms. (B) Lahoratory worh: 

 The study of the grasshopper, and comparison 

 with representatives of other orders. Numer- 

 ous demonstrations illustrating protective 

 coloration, mimicry, and other ecological re- 



