262 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. I. No. 10. 



studied. I feel that one should be cautious 

 in appropriating large time to the process 

 of killing, staining, and other matters of 

 pure technique, and especial care should be 

 taken lest the disease of ' microtome-mania ' 

 become epidemic. The microtome is an in- 

 strument for the advanced worker and the 

 investigator, but it is no uncommon thing 

 to see a student, yielding to the blandish- 

 ments of the instrument, cutting sections 

 by the yard, when a few questions will 

 reveal shameful ignorance of the gross an- 

 atomy of the animal imbedded. 



One is inclined to think that the enthusi- 

 asm of the student is the proper index of 

 the work accomplished. But it is not, at 

 least not always. The course in zoology 

 should be a course in zoology, and the stu- 

 dent, certainly of the elementary class, 

 should not be allowed to take alluring short 

 cuts to histology, embryology and advanced 

 morphology. There is a vast amount of 

 microscopical work that can and ought to 

 be done in our large classes. At Brown 

 University the work of an entire term is 

 upon the cat. The material is easy to 

 procure ; the organs are large, and I think 

 the time of fifty students well spent. A 

 critical study of other vertebrates should 

 use up the two remaining terms of the 

 year. The turtle and the snake very fairly 

 represent the reptilian phylum ; the latter, 

 aside from popular prejudice, is a most 

 satisfactory animal for the laboratory. I 

 think it is a mistake not to more generally 

 provide Elasmobranch material for the col- 

 lege student. When skate and ' dog-fish ' 

 can be so readily procured and so easilj^ 

 preserved, every zoological laboratory should 

 have an abundance. 



And now let me mention a condition, and 

 the one upon which success with large 

 classes most du*ectly depends, viz., order and 

 system. Though the members of our class 

 are not all free and equal, as Americans 

 they must be treated as such. The work 



of a certain day must be planned for the 

 class as a whole, and not for individuals of 

 the class. All students should have, at the 

 beginning of the session, the same equip- 

 ment, the same material, and matters of 

 neatness should be enjoined upon all aUke. 

 The water in the dissecting trays must be 

 fi-equently renewed, organic refuse must 

 be disposed of, the tables must be kept 

 dry, the instruments should not be allowed 

 to soak in the bottom of the pan, or the 

 pencil used as a probe. The table should 

 not be smeared with blood, fat and alcohol. 

 There should be a place for everything, 

 and 'systematic zoology,' in the sense of or- 

 der, should everywhere prevail. It is much 

 easier for the student to become indifferent 

 to the orderly side of zoology than it is for 

 him to acquire respect for the cleanly. 



A definite syllabus, placed upon the board, 

 or laboratory outlines, one on each table, 

 must be used. The latter can be prepared 

 by the teacher and struck off with a cyclo- 

 style or hectograph, and they are of im- 

 mense help. The student knows what to 

 do and when and how to do it. Extra par- 

 agraphs may be added for those who work 

 more rapidly; though qualit^^ and not quan- 

 tity should be the end. 



The teacher, with his eye upon the whole 

 class, must go from table to table, quizzing 

 here and helping there. He must be ready 

 to dissect mutilated specimens and repro- 

 duce lost parts instanter ; and thankful is 

 he, if not too frequently he is constrained 

 to follow that motto placed by Professor 

 Agassiz so conspicuously at Penikese : " Do 

 not be afraid to say, I do not know." 



I must beg your forbearance while I say 

 a few words in regai'd to the large zoology 

 classes in our secondary schools. It is my 

 opinion that laboi'atory classes, conducted 

 along the lines which we have just men- 

 tioned, are not at the present time to be too 

 strongly urged for the common schools. 

 There are verj^ few teachers who have had 



