220 NEW ZEALAND NATURE-STUDY BOOK -° 
ankle bones (the tarsals), some of which are much elongated, 
and so provide additional leverage for the hind-foot. Below 
the ankle bones are the fine long bones of the foot (the 
metatarsals) each of which bears a jointed toe. 
If the skeletons of a sufficient number of other mammals 
be compared with that of the Rabbit, the great similarity in 
structure between all animals of this class will be seen. 
Notr.—Any of the animals described under the heading of 
Mammals, will furnish material for lessons in any of the classes. 
Taking the Rabbit for instance—its general appearance and a few 
of the more obvious characteristics could be dealt with in the 
Infant Department. This could be followed by more detailed 
treatment in Standard I. and Standard II., with some account of 
its habits; whilst the higher classes would find plenty of work in 
a fuller investigation of general characteristics, structure, habits, 
and adaptation to environment, as well as in considerations 
involving comparisons and contrasts with other Mammalian fornis. 
It cannot be too frequently or too urgently insisted on that the 
objects dealt with should be seen and handled. Pictures and 
drawings, though valuable aids in all Nature-study, are but 
poor substitutes for the objects themselves. 
It is not difficult to obtain a rabbit ; indeed in many districts 
they are so plentiful as to be a source of much trouble to farmers, 
whose crops and grass they devour. <A living specimen, as well as 
a dead one, should be procured for purposes of examination, most 
of which should be done by the pupils themselves. It sometimes 
happens that the teacher does all the work, at least all the 
important work, merely requiring the pupils to follow the process 
of investigation and acquiesce in the conclusions. Not only is this 
unnecessary—it is positively harmful, for it deprives the lesson of 
much of its educative value. Knowledge is to a very little extent 
real knowledge, unless it has been acquired by the knowledge- 
seeker himself. It is his eyes and brain and not the teacher’s 
that must gather up the materials of thought, reason, comparison, 
contrast, and learn their utility and value in drawing inferences 
and reaching conclusions. 
Pupils should be taught how to set about investigation, and so 
gradually learn to describe the object under review, with the 
minimum amount of direction and guidance from the teacher. 
They will rapidly acquire skill in this kind of work, which more- 
over will add considerably to the interest attached to the subject. 
