Meports of Rugby School Natural History Society. 219 



in explaining the way in whicli rain and streams, ice and snow, sea- 

 action and volcanos, have tended to modify the surface of our earth, 

 and will enable the scholar more readily to understand the cause 

 which has produced any local alteration of a coast-line, a valley, or 

 mountain, and thus impart a new zest to his studies and a fresh in- 

 terest to each place he may visit at home or abroad. 



The maps illustrating the distribution of plants, animals, and of 

 the various races of mankind, will be sure to awaken an interest in the 

 scholar, and the teacher will find the veriest dullard may be taught 

 much that is useful by this method of visual education. 



We hope this Atlas may find its way into every school ; all Public 

 Schools ought to possess a copy of Mr. Johnston's large Physical 

 Atlas of Natural Phenomena in their library. 



III. — Eepokts of the Eugby School Natural History Society for 

 THE Years 1867 and 1868 (pp. 58 and 60). Eugby: 1868 

 and 1869. Tait and Sons. 



*• k DEMAND for the introduction of science into the modern 



XJL system of education has increased so steadily during the last 

 few years, and has received the approval of so many men of the 

 highest eminence in every rank and profession, and especially of 

 those who have made the theory and practice of education their 

 study, that it is impossible to doubt the existence of a general, and 

 even a national desire to facilitate the acquisition of some scientific 

 knowledge by boys at our public and other schools." 



Such are the words of the opening paragraph of the Eeport of the 

 Committee appointed by the Council of the British Association for 

 the Advancement of Science, to consider the best means for promot- 

 ing scientific education in schools (read at Dundee, 1867). 



Natural science is now taught at Harrow and Eugby, and we 

 believe it has even invaded the classic shades of Eton. 



The general plan at Eugby appears to be that new boys learn 

 Botany their first year. Mechanics their second, Geology their third, 

 and Chemistry their fourth. Out of a school of 450 to 500 boys 

 (says the report already quoted) about 1-lOth generally were in the 

 natural science classes. The committee go on to say, "It is very 



desirable that boys should obtain some knowledge of Geology 



Perhaps a larger proportion of boys are interested in the subject 

 than in any other ; but the su.bject presupposes more knowledge and 

 experience than most boys possess, and their work has a tendency to 

 become either superficial or undigested knowledge derived from 

 books alone. The lectures include the easier part of Lyell's Prin- 

 ciples, i.e. the causes of change now in operation on the earth ; next, 

 an account of the phenomena observable in the crust of the earth, 

 stratification and its disturbances, and the construction of maps and 

 sections ; and, lastly, the history of the stratified rocks and of life on 

 the earth. These lectures are illustrated by a fair geological collec- 

 tion, which has been much increased of late, and by a good collection 

 of diagrams and views to illustrate geological phenomena" (p. 12). 



