December 12, 1884. 



SCIENCE, 



537 



may be in themselves, it yet remains true that 

 man is more interested in man than in any thing 

 else ; and scientific information given in the 

 form of conversations, as in this book, is not 

 only more interesting, and sure to obtain more 

 readers, but makes a much more lasting im- 

 pression. 



The plan of the book is this : a cit}' mer- 

 chant who was formerly a naturalist is ordered 

 by the doctor to take a year's rest in the country. 

 He obe}'s the order, and occupies his time, 

 while regaining health, in resuming his old 

 acquaintance with the insect world. Various 

 persons are introduced, who become interested 

 in the oddities found, and weekly conversations 

 to the household upon insects are the result. 

 The author, assuming the character of the 

 naturalist, details to his listeners a great many 

 interesting and valuable bits of information 

 upon their natural history : their life-history 

 and habits, the damage which they do, with 

 occasionally the method for its prevention, 

 are discussed. A classical student introduces 

 the m}'tholog\ T and classical lore relating to the 

 subject ; two farm-hands are thoroughly ac- 

 quainted with the various superstitions con- 

 nected with insects ; the peculiar habits give 

 opportunity for occasional moral lessons ; while 

 a ' school-ma'am ' enlivens the party with her 

 wit. The classical student, being a clergyman, 

 serves to introduce the relation of evolution 

 to religion, and is made to sa} T , "Asa method 

 of creation simply, I am willing to leave it in 

 the hands of the naturalist and philosopher," 

 — a conclusion which, happily, is being reached 

 b}* all thinking men. In short, these conversa- 

 tions, and the experiences detailed, give to the 

 non-scientific reader a pleasant and accurate ac- 

 count of many of the animals which he is sure 

 to meet in his walks in the country. The work 

 is not a scientific one. It is true that there are 

 a few new observations given ; but they are so 

 absorbed in the general character of the book 

 that their value disappears, for no naturalist 

 would be apt to go to a book of this nature for 

 scientific information. 



The illustrations form not the least attractive 

 feature. These are very numerous, — about a 

 hundred and fifty in all, — all new, and drawn 

 especially for this work. Of themselves, the} T 

 will insure many a purchaser. It is some- 

 what to be regretted that so many of them are 

 simply humorous in nature. The whimsical 

 oddities of Mr. Beard are certainly unique and 

 excellent, but seem somewhat out of place, 

 giving to the pages the appearance of humorous 

 selections. While the} 7 do somewhat enliven 

 the book, the reader cannot help wishing that 



their place were filled with more of the sketches 

 from nature from the author's sketch-book, 

 whose excellence is verified by the many ex- 

 amples given. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



Gen. F. A. Walker, of the Massachusetts institute 

 of technology, has published a brief paper on indus- 

 trial education, which he read before the American 

 social science association in Saratoga last September. 

 This interesting paper bears upon the questions which 

 are under discussion in Glasgow. Gen. Walker offers 

 the following classification of schools devoted to in- 

 dustrial education : — 



1. Schools of applied science and technology, such 

 as the school over which he presides, the Sheffield 

 scientific school, the Stevens institution, the Eensse- 

 laer polytechnic institute, and the like. 



2. Trade-schools, in which a particular art, or 

 branch of industry, is taught; as, for example, watch- 

 making in Switzerland. 



3. Schools in which manual and mechanical edu- 

 cation is introduced as a part of the general educa- 

 tion of the scholar with reference to the fuller devel- 

 opment of all his powers, not to make an engineer on 

 the one hand, nor a trained operative on the other. 



Gen. Walker advocates with clearness and vigor 

 the gradual introduction of manual training in the 

 public schools, and sketches what he calls ' a fairly 

 conservative programme,' which would involve only 

 a slight disturbance of the structure of the existing 

 schools, but would call for a surrender of a consid- 

 erable portion of time to the new studies. Gen. 

 Walker seems at a loss for a phrase or term with 

 which to indicate the training he desires to give. We 

 suggest 'handicraft.' Let handicraft be taught in 

 every school for girls or boys, in the kindergarten, 

 and in the scientific laboratory. ' Handicraft ' will 

 make a good rallying word for all who favor this new 

 phase of popular education. 



— We would call the attention of our readers to 

 the following remarks by Sir William Thomson dur- 

 ing an address at Philadelphia last summer: "You 

 in this country are subjected to the British insularity 

 in weights and measures: you use the foot and inch 

 and yard. I am obliged to use that system; but I 

 apologize to you for doing so, because it is so incon- 

 venient; and I hope all Americans will do every 

 thing in their power to introduce the French metrical 

 system. I hope the evil action performed by an Eng- 

 lish minister whose name I need not mention, because 

 I do not wish to throw obloquy on any one, may be 

 remedied. He abrogated a useful rule, which for a 

 short time was followed, and which I hope will soon 

 be again enjoined, that the French metrical system 

 be taught in all our national schools. I do not know 

 how it is in America. The school system seems to 

 be very admirable ; and I hope the teaching of the 

 metrical system will not be let slip in the American 

 schools any more than the use of the globes. I say 

 this seriously. I do not think any one knows how 



