ANIMAL STUDY 73 



teach the children why a cat can climb a tree or lick a bone 

 clean; why water rolls off the duck's back; why the duck 

 is such a good swimmer; how the toad seizes its prey; why the 

 rabbit cannot be easily seen; how a squirrel opens a nut; why 

 you can pull an angleworm forward but not backward 

 from its hole; how a fish breathes; how and why a cow chews 

 the cud; when we teach about these habits of the animals 

 we must also teach structure. The structure helps to explain 

 the habits and vice versa, and must, of course, be studied for 

 purposes of identification and classification. 



Mere structure study, details of anatomy, unconnected with 

 functions and mode of life are very uninteresting. But when the 

 beautiful adaptations or fitness of organs for their use, the gen- 

 eral adaptation of form, covering, color, etc., the surrounding 

 habitat, or the mode of life of the animal are made clear, then 

 structure study is intensely interesting as well as instructive. 



What kinds of animals shall be studied ? Animals of many 

 classes. The mammals and birds, also lower forms, such as 

 insects, mollusks, coral, sponges — all appeal to the child and 

 he can learn something about them all. The little ones like to 

 study about their pets, the domesticated animals, and ~ the 

 commoner wild forms. The older children prefer the less 

 familiar. Old and young like to study about the animals of 

 distant lands. The lion, the elephant, the eagle, the strange 

 creatures of the sea appeal to their admiration or imagination. 

 By all means include bears, wolves, lions, tigers, whales, 

 seals, etc., in nature-study. Let children study the Big Game. 



Outline of the Study of an Animal 



What should be taught about an animal depends partly 

 upon the age of the pupil, the general purpose of the lesson. 



