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time equally between zodlogy and botany; the forenoons were 
accordingly given to the former, and the afternoons to the latter. 
In the department of zodlogy emphasis was given to the 
lines of work most useful to teachers. aterial collected on 
excursions was used in various ways. For correct methods of 
dissection as well as a better knowledge of anatomical details 
some work in dissection was done. Time was also given to 
acquiring the best methods of preserving specimens of various 
kinds of animals, as Hydra, worms of various groups, mollusks, 
Crustacea, insects,—both larval and mature,—and fishes. The 
identification of annelid worms, insects, mollusks, and fishes 
received due attention, and was aided by named collections be- 
longing to the State Laboratory, and also by literature and by a 
number of synoptic keys to these groups prepared by members 
of the State Laboratory staff. Asa result of this part of the 
work, teachers were enabled to take home with them properly 
preserved and named collections of various kinds of animals. 
All persons not already familiar with the ordinary methods of © 
section-cutting and the making of permanent microscopic prep- 
arations had practice in such work. 
The work in botany consisted of as thorough a study of the 
aquatic and terrestrial flora of the surrounding region as the 
time would allow. The alge of the Illinois River and connected 
waters were studied with special reference to their morphology 
and reproduction. The relation between land and water plants 
both as to their differences in morphology and distribution was 
observed and discussed on the field trips. 
The phanerogams of the vicinity were treated with special 
reference to their adaptation for protection and cross-fertiliza- 
tion. Instruction in the methods of the collection and preser- 
vation of herbarium material was given to those who desired it. 
The systematic work on the higher plants was in the nature of 
a study of the characteristics of orders from different representa- 
tives rather than by following an artificial key. 
General plant physiology was illustrated by demonstrations 
with apparatus such as can be employed in laboratories of 
limited equipment. In the field special attention was paid to 
the movements of plant parts as influenced by light, tempera- 
ture, and progress in seed-development. Time at the end of the 
