INTRODUCTION. 7 



It is obvious that, in order properly to direct 

 work of this kind, the teacher should be thoroughly 

 acquainted with the subjects studied by the pupils. 

 The difficulties that have been in the way of the 

 teachers who have tried to obtain a systematic knowl- 

 edge of insects is doubtless the chief reason that in- 

 sect life has not been studied more in the public 

 schools. An appreciation of these difficulties led the 

 author and the illustrator of this book to prepare 

 first, for the use of teachers, a comprehensive text- 

 book, by means of which the teacher can easily pre- 

 pare himself to direct the study of his pupils. This 

 is entitled "A Manual for the Study of Insects."* 



In this study, perhaps more than in any other 

 taught in the secondary schools, the pleasure of con- 

 stantly learning something new can be shared by the 

 teacher with the pupils. The writer has had an un- 

 usually broad experience in teaching this subject, but 

 he has never yet taken a class into the field without 

 finding something new to him. 



In this connection we wish to urge the importance 

 of perfect sincerity. The teacher should frankly say, 

 " I do not know," when asked a question that he can 

 not answer, and it will be well if he will add, " We 

 will try to find out." Teach the pupils early that 

 any one by intelligent endeavor can add to the sum 

 of knowledge. 



While the chief end of this study is the training 

 of the powers of observation and the careful ascer- 

 taining of facts in a scientific manner, it seems to us to 

 be well to encourage somewhat an imaginative view 



* Published by the Comstock Publishing Company, Ithaca, N. Y. 



