NATURE STUDY IN SCHOOLS. 125 



It is called a star-fish because it looks like a star. It lives in salt 

 water, the upper side is up when it is in the water. The star-fish is cov- 

 ered with spines ; it is covered with spines to protect it or so the fishes won't 

 eat it. 



I see the mouth in the middle, and five furrows, one on each ray ; it has 

 five rays. The star-fish eats oysters. When he eats the oyster he gets on 

 top of the oyster and throws a poison out of his mouth that kills the oyster, 

 then he throws the stomach out of his mouth and eats the oyster, then he 

 takes his stomach in. His eyes are on the end of each ray. The star-fish 

 has five eyes, because when he curves four rays in, he can see with the other 

 one. 



AN EXERCISE ON THE CLAM, STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, 



SALEM, MASS. 



BY 



Mercy Jane Davis. 

 M. Alice Warren, Instructor. 



We will suppose that the children of a fourth or fifth 

 grade, under the direction of a teacher, have seen and stud- 

 ied the parts of the clam This article is intended to 

 suggest a way by which the facts may be more firmly fixed 

 in their minds. 



I know you are ready at any time to hear a story. This is to be a 

 true one. It is about a curious little animal. Let me describe it briefly, 

 and see if you can tell me its name. 



This little animal is very soft and delicate, so it has a house to live in. 

 This house is made of two shells. Within the walls of its home it feels 

 very safe. To protect the little creature still more, the house is sunk deep in 

 the dark mud along the shore. Here the animal stays until some one finds 

 it. It may be taken to the fish-dealer's with many others just like it. 

 Perhaps your father sometimes stops to buy some of these little animals. 

 They are taken to your home and cooked for you to eat. I thought some 

 one could tell me their name. Yes, they are called clams. Did you ever 

 think about the life of a clam ? 



We have already spoken of the house in which the little fellow lives. 

 Let us examine these shells more closely. Do you see the curving lines on 

 the outside ? The clam's house is just large enough to coyer its body. When 

 the clam was very small, its house was very small. As the clam grew, in 



