BD 
March 23, 1894. 
nection between the races which migrated to those 
regions, or of early intercommunication between them. 
But my own information upon the subject is too scanty 
for me to discuss it further. G. FREDERICK WRIGHT. 
Oberlin, O. 
Nature Study in the Schools. 
In Scczence of March 2 an article on ‘‘ Botany in the 
Schools” calls attention to a subject of interest to all 
teachers. ‘‘ Nature Study,” it may be assumed, has come 
to stay. It is too important a factor in education to be 
left out, even though its first introduction into the 
schools be accompanied with mistakes and inefficiency. 
This being granted, it is very reasonable to say, as does 
the writer of the article mentioned, that for the best 
results ‘‘a competent specialist should be put in charge of 
the work who could instruct the teachers, just as the 
specialist does in music and drawing.’”’ Nothing less than 
this, certainly, should be demanded of normal schools 
and large city schools having their own training depart- 
‘iments. Teachers adapted to the work and thoroughly 
©quipped for it should be put in charge of the training 
‘or science-teaching in the grades for the relief of the 
‘cademic science teachers, whose regular work follows 
advanced methods, and for the more efficient application 
of the principles which govern elementary teaching. The 
State Normal School of Michigan sends out nearly two 
hundred graduates a year, many of them from the longer 
.ourses of study. The training schools of the large 
cities send out many more, and there is thus sent into the 
schools of the State each year a large body of teachers 
vho know the meaning and the methods of ‘‘ Nature 
Study.” 
But in any state, the large city schools form only a small 
portion of the aggregate. There are many schools in 
which the question of economy must regulate matters, 
and many schools which are not large enough to require 
the services of a special teacher. Shall these schools, then, 
‘drop the subject altogether from the curriculum?” We 
enswer decidedly not. Intelligent teachers, by reading 
and by study and use of material, should be able to fit 
themselves to do good work in this as well as in other 
jmes. There are plenty of recent publications for their 
benefit, some of more, others of less, value. There are 
Secasionally helpful lectures, and sometimes regular in- 
truction at teachers’ institutes. Every year the helps 
-row more numerous and are within easier reach. Cur- 
ent educational literature on this subject is not yet so 
_bundant as it ought to be, but the demand will bring the 
supply. The educational journals have much that can be 
tilized, and there is one publication which is devoted to 
his work exclusively. This is Zhe Field and School 
Vaturalist, published at Minneapolis, which has absorbed 
"he Naturalist Teacher, the modest little monthly started 
few years ago by Professor McLouth, special science 
eacher in the schools of Muskegon, Mich. There may 
»e other publications of similar character; certainly there 
oon will be others in the field, for the demand is im- 
erative. With such helps the question of ‘‘ Nature 
tudy” should not be a question of alternatives, but 
ather one of doing in each school the very best the con- 
itions will allow. Lucy A. Ospann. 
Michigan State Normal School. 
A Brilliant Aurora. 
AN aurora of unusual brilliancy and splendor was ob- 
erved at Madison, Wis., on the evening of Feb. 23. A 
somewhat less notable display was seen on the night of 
he 22nd, but, so far as noted, it consisted only of the 
‘sual luminous arch, surmounted by long and rather bril- 
SCIEMEE. 
liant streamers, which were white 
of the arch and rosy red at the e 
tremities. 
The display on the evening of tk 
before nine o'clock, consisted of 
resting on a dense dark one, while 
visible about three degrees beloy 
lower arch was not, at first, surmounted by a juminous 
portion. But few streamers were visible at this time. 
Stars were plainly seen in the space between the two 
arches, but not through the upper arch. In a few minutes 
the lower arch became somewhat luminous, and the dark 
portion of the upper arch became lighter. 
At nine o'clock, at the eastern limb of the upper arch, 
a series of brilliantly colored streamers began to shoot up 
with great rapidity. The streamers were broad rather 
than long, and they had a swift westward motion. 
Nearly all were of several colors—red, yellow, green and 
white—in well marked, not very wide, bands. These 
streamers quickly assumed the appearance of swaying 
flags or curtains, and rapidly traversed the arch, moving 
toward the west. They seemed to occupy the space 
between the arch and the observer, and to absorb the arch 
as theyadvanced. Just before the front of the luminous 
folds reached the highest point of the arch, the latter was 
seen bending swiftly down in a double curve to about the 
position of the lower arch spoken of, but which was not 
then visible, and merging in the pendulous folds of the 
advancing, swaying curtains. 
When the western limb was reached, brilliant streamers 
of white and crimson shot up to the zenith from both ex- 
tremities of the arch with the swiftness of fierce flames 
but with only a slight swaying motion. TVhe curtain-like 
folds had disappeared. The time occupied in the passage 
of the phenomena described was less than fifteen minutes. 
How .much longer the display lasted and what was its 
character was not noted. 
The magnetic disturbance very 
After the brilliant portion of the display was over a com- 
pass was carefully adjusted and the deflection of the 
needle noted. The amount of the deflection at the end of 
hfteen minutes was 3°, 58’ to the west. 
Although the movement of the needle was rapid,— 
most of the deflection during the first five 
minutes,—the motion could not be perceived by the eye. 
GE. Conver: 
was considerable. 
occurred 
Madison, Wis. 
The Durability of the Poisonous Property of Poison Ivy, Rhus 
Radicans L. (R. Toxicodendron L.). 
A RECENT experience indicates that the poisonous prin- 
ciple of the above named plant is lasting. 
In the botanical museum of Ohio State University are 
some stems of Poison Ivy that were deposited there not 
less than three years ago. 
About ten days ago I noticed that they were infested 
with borers—the larva of some beetle. Desiring to study 
the beetle, the stems were broken a few times so that they 
would go into a covered glass jar. They are found to be 
bored through many times, so that they broke easily, and 
at every breaking the powder from the borings flew freely. 
I had no fears of being poisoned, but about 3.00 a.m. the 
next morning I was awakened by an itching between my 
fingers as if poisoned. Later development proved that it 
was poison, and I can account for it in no other way than 
that it came from the Poison Ivy. The burning was 
abated somewhat by the application of olive or sweet oil 
but lasted for several days., The epidermis is now com- 
ing off the affected part exactly as when having been 
poisoned with Rhus venenata 1D). C. E. E. Bocur. 
Columbus, O., Feb. 12, 1894. 
