BY THE WAYSIDE. 
J 
and we are Legion. Besides whenever any of 
you are attacked by enemies you always run 
away! \ou know you do. Run away now, and 
join the rest of your family. It will be better 
for you, and we would be ashameu to tackle 
you—quite ashamed, I assure you.” 
S. F. (bursting into tears of rage) : “I go, 
but it is because I promised to, six months ago, 
and not because of anything you have said or 
can do.” 
B. of G.: “W as jt furious, perfectly furious ? 
Hold on a bit, and we’ll all sing ‘The Wearing 
of the Green' for you. That always puts you in 
a melting mood, icy as you are in general. It is 
so pathetic. Hold on, I say.” 
S. F. (indignantly) : “1 will not hold on. I 
am going, going, gone! But I will come again. 
Au revoir, monsieur, until the 15th of Novem¬ 
ber.” 
From St. Nicholas, May 1889. 
A Treasure Day in the Woods. 
From the Florida Audubon Society comes a 
leaflet by Mrs. Ivingsmill Marrs, which sug¬ 
gests a plan that may be helpful to teachers 
who are trying to arouse in the children in¬ 
trusted to them an interest in. the world they 
live in. S'et apart one day in the month for 
an expedition to the woods, and let each child 
choose a “treasure” to learn about—a flower, 
a pine cone, a bit of moss, an insect, a bird, 
a spring of water, or a cloud in the sky. Make 
out the list carefully during the walk, keeping 
such notes as may be useful as to locality and 
surroundings. Make he excursion a treat, 
with as little restraint as possible, and, then, 
in the days that follow, take up the “treasures,” 
one by one, and teach something of their de¬ 
velopment and of their relations to the plants 
and animals around them. The idea that it 
is not merely some object that the teacher has 
brought in, but Tom’s beetle, chosen by him, 
or Susie’s tadpole, that she herself fished out 
of the swamp, will increase the interest. 
Here are same of Mrs. Marrs’ suggestions: 
Pine Trees. What gives the fragrance and 
where is it? How many varieties can you. 
find about you? Observe the shape and length 
of the line-like leaves; notice the grouping in 
a sheath. Tell about the uses of the sap and 
how it is obtained; also about pine as lumber 
—where and how it is chiefly used. 
7:) 
I iolets. How many varieties can you find 
about you ? How do they differ as to shape, 
size, habit, color, and leaves? How many 
petals and how arranged in a cup-like group 
of small green leaflets (sepals.) Observe that 
one petal is spurred. Besides the flowers above 
the ground, seach for the buds concealed near 
the loots, and tell their use. Notice the var¬ 
ious shapes of the leaves and give the simple 
names to each, such as bird’s-foot, arrow-leafed, 
primrose-leafed, etc. 
Lupine. What family? Shape of leaf? How 
widely distributed in the United States? To 
what height does it grow? Notice varied colors 
cf flowers and leaves; also the shape of petals. 
"The name lupine was from lupus, a wolf, as 
these plants were supposed to devour the fer¬ 
tility of the soil.” 
R oodpecker. How many different ones can 
one find? What is the especial work of this 
bird in the economy of nature? Give shape, 
color, and habits; also the special arrange¬ 
ment of the feet, tongue and bill for its work 
in tiee-protection; and what insects it destroys 
in the tree. 
Night-hawks or Bull-hats. Refer to Edu¬ 
cation Leaflet No. 1. Describe shape, size, 
color, and food, speaking of the help this bird 
is to farmers. 
Cones from Pine Trees. Make a collection of 
the various cones; note shape, size, position on 
trees. How long in maturing? Determine to 
which pine they belong. In the spring explain 
the blossom, the pollen, and watch the devel¬ 
opment of some special blossom which you 
mark. 
I lorida, unlike most of the Southern states, 
has a law to protect birds. 
This is the best time of the year to form 
branch Audubon societies and to prepare for 
observations on the returning birds. Those 
who are planning such organizations will be 
interested in the constitution of our latest 
branch, the Chilton Society, which is given 
below, and which is a good basis for work. 
Since bird study is one of the main objects of 
the branch society it would, perhaps, be well 
to mention it in the preamble, and occasional 
adjournments of the regular meetings to the 
woods might be planned. 
