APPENDIX. 135 
original investigators. Frequently facts which are clearly 
related in nature are widely separated in such books, and 
thus, instead of elucidating the grand laws of nature, they 
too often become only volumes of disconnected statements. 
The teacher who assigns lessons from such books with no 
experiences of his own to add, can never lead his pupils to 
love and study nature. But in the articles of the NATURAL- 
Ist we have original papers from professional naturalists, 
the direct results of the study of nature herself. These 
articles, in the hands of the teachers, would bring them gen- 
uine science fresh from its discoverers. 
Again, the Naturauisr gives the latest results of scien- 
tific research. Natural History is advancing so rapidly that 
a text-book a few years old is necessarily wanting in many 
most important particulars. There must, therefore, be some 
medium of communication between the investigating natu- 
ralists and the teachers, to enable the latter to teach the 
science as it advances. The Natura.ist is the only publi- 
cation in this country which furnishes such a medium. 
But how are teachers to use the Narura.isr in schools? 
To assign lessons to be memorized from these or any other 
books on Natural History is useless. Many of the subjects 
presented in the NATURALIST are excellent topics for object 
lessons, and the articles would be very useful to the instruc- 
tor in oral teaching. It is through such lessons and teaching 
that Natural History is to take her appropriate place in a 
thorough system of elementary education. To secure fresh 
knowledge, and scientific accuracy in teaching it, the Natu- 
RALIST should be used by the teachers of public schools. 
[Letter from Mr. Bennett. ] 
; Lonvon, Dec. Ist, 1870. 
To THE EDITORS OF THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Sirs: —In the number of your admirable magazine for 
November, I observe that you do me the honor of reprinting 
