56 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



teacher who can open hi3 eyes and fix hia mind on the realities among which his daily 

 life is passed. This accurate observation of natural objects and facts is the only founda- 

 tion on which scientific attainments can rest. The scientist is chiefly a man who sees 

 better than his fellow men. But it is also a great help in practical life. 



3. " No branch of science means more in actual dollars to the people of the country 

 than Entomology. At least one-tenth of our crops is lost owing to the depredation of 

 insects." It is surely a proper thing to instruct our children about the insects. They 

 should learn to distinguish insects which are enemies from those which are friends. If 

 our farmers and gardeners understood the method of dealing with the foes, and acted 

 promptly and efficiently, the money value of this knowledge and action would equal the 

 richest Klondike ever discovered. When Governments spend millions, and individuals 

 risk their lives in opening up a mineral Klondike, it is not unreasonable to ask that more 

 attention be paid to this insect Klondike at our doors. Let us educate the children to 

 take an interest in insects, for in a few years they will have the control of the great 

 money-producing areas, viz., the farms of our land. Dr. Fletcher has already treated 

 of the value of Entomology from an economic aspect at a previous meeiing of this 

 society, and Mr. 0. C. James, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Ontario, has 

 also ably handled the subject in several addresses before Farmers' Institutes. 



How. 



Every good teacher will have his own method of presenting the subject, the one 

 best suited to his own individuality, but there^are general principles which he must 

 follow : 



1. As far as our rural schools are concerned, Entomology should be studied " with- 

 out reference to systematic order or relationships." The whole study should be thor- 

 oughly informal in every respect ; it should be natural. No stated lesson should 

 be assigned as a task beyond the general collecting of insects which the teacher may ask 

 to be done occasionally. At first the teacher will simply guide the pupils by adroit 

 questions such as these : Where did you find it 1 What 

 was it doing ? On what plant did you find it 1 Did you 

 see it fly 1 How did it fly 1 Did you hear it sing or 

 chirp, etc. The difference in structure among insects 

 brought before a class should also be studied by means 

 of questions put by the teacher, the number of .wings, 



Fig. 25. 



legs, and eyes, (Fig. 25) its mouth, and its breathing ap- 

 paratus. The pupil will soon see that insects are unlike 

 in many features, the observation of which will tend to 

 increase his interest. 



Occasionally injurious caterpillars will be caught in the 

 act of eating leaves (Fig. 26); this occasion should be well 

 used by the skilful teacher, and useful lessons learned. 

 It is wonderful what a variety of insects will be forth- 

 coming when the interest of the pupil is thoroughly 

 aroused. Very often the best teacher will be incompetent to answer all the questions 



