2O 
THE FAIRY-LAND OF SCIENCE. 
be able to classify a flower and to know that the 
buttercup belongs to the Family Ranunculaceae, with 
petals free and definite, stamens hypogynous and in- 
definite, pistil apocarpous. But it is far sweeter to 
learn about the life of the little plant, to understand 
why its peculiar flower is useful to it, and how it 
feeds itself, and makes its seed. No one can love dry 
facts ; we must clothe 
them with real mean- 
ing and love the 
truths they tell, if we 
wish to enjoy science. 
Let us take an ex- 
ample to show this. 
I have here a branch 
of white coral, a beau- 
tiful, delicate piece of 
nature's work. We 
will begin by copy- 
ing a description of 
it from one of those 
class - books which 
suppose children to 
learn words like par- 
rots, and to repeat 
them with just as little 
understanding. 
" Goral is formed 
by an animal belong- 
FIG. 2 .-Piece of white coral. ; ng tQ the k ; ngdom of 
Radiates, sub-kingdom Polypes. The soft body of 
the animal is attached to a support, the mouth open- 
