Nature as an Educator. Vjh 



while it carried off the pellets that might have betrayed 

 their presence ; and has stood so still to see the male red- 

 start that a field mouse has curled itself up on his warm 

 foot and gone to sleep. He gathers the delicate buds of the 

 wild rose, happily ignorant of the forty odd names under 

 which that luckless plant has been smothered; and if, per- 

 chance, his last birthday has been made memorable by the 

 gift of a microscope, before long he will be glorying in the 

 transparent beauties of Asplanchna, unaware that he ought 

 to crush his living prize in order to find out which of some 

 half-dozen equally barbarous names he ought to give it." 



Practically, to give young people in cities the benefit of 

 all this, it is necessary to have museums and public 

 gardens. A very small collection, representing any definite 

 series of objects, properly named and associated with those 

 relations that give them interest, is of the greatest value. 

 Larger public museums have wider uses. I have been 

 struck with this in visiting the Liverpool Free Museum, 

 where every object is so labelled as to tell something of its 

 story, and where crowds of learners are constantly receiv- 

 ing instruction from well-prepared specimens. 



Our little museum is capable of similar uses, but it 

 requires much better display and labelling of its treasures, 

 and funds to enable the Society from time to time to add to 

 its attractions by introducing new objects. Public gardens, 

 whether botanical or zoological, are also of the greatest use. 

 I know of nothing which any of our patriotic citizens 

 could do of greater utility than the opening of such a place 

 where the useful and ornamental plants and the various 

 animals of our own Dominion and of other countries could 

 be seen and studied. Lastly, means should be provided for 

 taking children under competent guidance on field excur- 

 sions and to visit places of note and interest. 



All this may be said to be desultory and unscientific, but 

 it will lead to more precise knowledge, and will serve to 

 develope the tastes and powers of those who are capable 

 of doing better and higher work. 



My own early training in this matter Avas when there 

 were in most parts of this country neither public museums 



