r 
PREFACE 
TT is hoped that this small book, with the helpful 
*■ guidance of teachers or parents, may be of some 
assistance in enabling boys and girls to become so 
. well acquainted with the most common insects, 
birds and wild flowers that they will not onl\ 
recognise these in their walks in the country or in 
the town parks, but also recall associated facts 
about them. With this habit established, it will be 
found that most boys and girls will then be eager 
to seek for more complete knowledge of nature s 
wonders. “Nature Study" lessons should either be 
given “out-of-doors” or with specimens which can 
be brought within easy view of every scholar in the 
class. It is unnecessary to offer any further sug¬ 
gestions to trained teachers as to the methods to 
be adopted in lessons on the topics contained in this 
book. Almost the whole of its contents can be 
elicited from scholars whose powers of observation, 
comparison and contrast are guided by suitable 
questions, provided that the condition above- 
mentioned is observed. Further comments on the 
means by which suitable illustrative objects may be 
obtained are contained in the “Introductory Notes 
which commence each of the three parts of this 
book. The writer gratefully acknowledges his 
indebtedness to Mr. R. A. Falla, M.A., ornithologist, 
Auckland War Memorial Museum, the collections 
in the Birds and Plants Sections of this Museum, 
and to the late Miss A aile’s book, “Fairy I ales 
From N.Z.” for some of the details given in the 
following pages. 
M. H. DIXON. 
Auckland, 
18:vii. :34. 
