INTRODUCTION 



That Zoology is an important subject in secondary edu- 

 cation, no teacher of culture and experience will deny; but 

 that it has not always met the expectation of those who 

 introduced it into the course, will be admitted by all. Per- 

 haps the cause of this is the difference in point of view 

 between the scientist and the practical educator as to what 

 constitutes the subject matter for a beginner's course. But 

 whatever be the point of view it would seem that the legiti- 

 mate results of the study of animals at this stage are the 

 training of the powers of observation, a sympathetic appre- 

 ciation of animal life, and a knowledge of nature's method 

 of producing the changes that are going on daily. 



This book is intended to accomplish the results above set 

 forth. It is intended to arouse an interest in the rudiments 

 of Zoology, and to put the child in contact with the problems 

 suggested by the animals that surround htm. It is not in- 

 tended that all of these problems are to be solved by the 

 students who use this book, or that all of the questions in 

 the book are to be answered correctly or even definitely, but 

 the student is led to think that with the animals before and 

 around him he should feel free to strive to solve any problem 

 which naturally arises in his mind. The questions are asked 

 in such a way and in such language as to suggest further 



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