120 
THIRTEENTH REPORT. 
I would, therefore, plead for more natural history of the old fashioned 
kind and for more nature study, even of the fakish kind, and less 
morphological biology with Mendelian variations in our schools and even 
in our colleges. For as the proverb runs, “The fathers have eaten sour 
grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” which, by the way, is 
a pretty clear statement of the doctrine of the inheritance of acquired 
characteristics for 500 B. C. 
But. even, if this is not true and the real cause is to be sought else- 
where. the great dearth of popular interest in natural science during 
the last twenty years seems to be a fact that must be recognized and 
deplored. The recent increase in favor of “nature study” as it is called 
in popular language or “Ecology” in scientific nomenclature, would 
seem to be a revival in modern dress of the old-time natural history and 
may, indeed, be the swing of the pendulum back toward its original 
starting point. And, in so far as it tends to popularize science and to 
create an active and intelligent interest among all classes of the com- 
munity in our animals and plants and all the various phenomena of ani- 
mated nature, it is certainly deserving of the support of all who have the 
real interests of science at heart. For, without the popular support that 
comes from an intelligent appreciation of the methods, purposes and re- 
sults of scientific investigation, pure science and the interests of higher, 
technical scientific education will still continue to lack that hearty and 
generous recognition from the people and their representatives, to which 
they are entitled. 
It is along these lines of popular education in science that it would 
seem eminently proper that the Survey should to some extent, at least, 
direct its efforts. The collection and distribution among the high schools 
of the state of proper material for illustrating the characteristic elements 
of our flora and fauna; the publication of manuals and of literature, 
not too technical and even along popular lines, on ecological and other 
subjects calculated to stimulate an interest in all branches of natural 
science and a cordial and systematic co-operation with the teachers of 
the state in their work of instruction would do much to create a volume 
of public opinion that could not fail to have a favorable influence upon 
the advancement of science in all of its departments. And in thus lend- 
ing its knowledge and influence to the cause of popular education, it 
wiould certainly seem that the survey would justify its existence at the 
bar of public opinion. 
Detroit, Mich., April, 1911. 
