Chapter 31

JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND IN ITS RELATION TO THE SCHOOL--(Continued)

_Nature Study_

Nature study to be most valuable must be in reality the study of nature. Its beginnings are in observation and experiment, but there comes a time when the child must go to books for information and enlightenment. The purposes of nature study are to awaken a spirit of inquiry concerning things in the immediate vicinity and thence in wider fields; to develop observation, comparison and reason; to give interests that will charm the possessor through life; to introduce the elements of the natural sciences. Enthusiasts have made the study of nature the basis of all school work, the correlating force in all studies. Such an idea has merit in it, for it is certain that lessons begun in the observation of living things and the phenomena of nature speedily ramify into language, reading, geography, history, and even mathematics.

There is among some an unfortunate tendency to go too much to books for material and to seize too quickly any suggestion that leads in that direction. Yet books are valuable at the proper time and in the proper place. When facts have been learned, they may be made vital by good literary selections; when facts not accessible by observation are needed, they may be obtained through books. On the other hand, literature is full of allusions to natural facts and phenomena and may only be understood by him who knows nature. Both phases of the subject are of vital interest.

Instead of attempting any systematic outline for nature study we will here try to give help on two problems only:

_First._ How may nature study be broadened by the use of literature?

_Second._ How may the study of nature help in the appreciation of literature?

I.

In trying to answer the first question we will present first a classified list of selections from _Journeys Through Bookland_ which are closely related to the study of nature and indicate briefly how they may be used.

A. Seven Long Selections.

In the first place, there are long selections in which there are many anecdotes and incidents which are usable in nature study. We will give partial lists of what is to be found therein, but it is well to read the whole selection and choose what is best for the occasion.

1. _Tom, the Water Baby_ (Volume II, page 215). This is one of the most charming stories in the book, especially for young children, though older ones and even people of mature years will enjoy it thoroughly. Tom, a little chimney sweep, after perilous adventures, dies, or rather turns into a newt or eft, a water baby. His exciting life thereafter is in the waters, where he meets many of its strange denizens. The whole story is highly imaginative, humorous, and full of fine lessons, beautifully given. The more important of his adventures, from our point of view, are concerned with the following:

The Caddis Fly, pages 261-264. The Dragon Fly, pages 264-265. The Sand Fly, pages 267-269. Otters, pages 270-271, 273-274. Salmon, pages 272, 279-283. Tides, page 287. The Turbot, page 289. Lobsters, pages 292-294, 300-303. Sea Cucumbers, page 297. Great Auk, page 339. Mother Carey's Chickens (Stormy Petrels), page 344.

2. _Robinson Crusoe_ (Volume III, page 45). Two chapters only are given from this great story, but the first, dealing with the capture and education of Crusoe's man Friday, may be worth while to read in connection with studies of savage races. It is not altogether scientific.

3. _The Swiss Family Robinson_ (Volume III, page 99). This famous old story will be charming to children for many generations to come. It is a tale of the wonderful struggle of a family against nature. It may be a fact that it is unreasonable and impossible; that not all the seeming facts are true; that nature never plays so perfectly into the hand of man; that not all the living things mentioned are to be found in one locality. But it is clean, wholesome adventure, and the errors in it will do no harm. Many a good language lesson and many an addition to nature lessons may be drawn from it. The efforts of the family to utilize what they find, though too successful, are worthy of imitation. Some of the more interesting things met by the family are the following:

Lobsters, page 113. Oysters, pages 114, 117. Agouti, page 116, with a picture on page 116. Cocoanuts, pages 125-128. Calabash Trees, page 123. Monkeys and Cocoanuts, pages 125-128. Shark, page 138. Turtle, pages 145-149. Penguins (picture), page 152, pages 151-153. Cassava Bread, pages 154-157. Caoutchouc, page 170. Onager (Wild Ass), pages 171-174 (picture, page 172). New Zealand Flax, pages 175-176. Flamingo, page 177. Salt Cavern, pages 180-185. Herrings, pages 187-188. Gypsum, page 188. Boa Constrictor, pages 192-195. Ostrich, pages 206-215. Walrus, page 222. Hyenas, pages 227-228. Lions, pages 252-256.

4. _Brute Neighbors_ (Volume VII, page 260) is an interesting essay by Henry David Thoreau, the most delightful of American naturalist writers. In this essay he chats familiarly about the animals that surround his cottage in the woods, and shows the closeness of his observation as well as the breadth of his general knowledge. It is a nature study in itself as a whole. Besides mention of other animals, he tells interesting anecdotes of the following:

A Wild Mouse, page 261. The Partridge, as the ruffed grouse is called in New England, pages 262-263. The Woodcock, page 264. The Fighting Ants, pages 264-268. The Loon, pages 270-274.

5. _The Pond in Winter_ (Volume VII, page 280). This is another of Thoreau's charming essays in natural history. It contains a pretty description of the snow and ice covered pond (page 280), an account of fishing through the ice (pages 282-283), and a vivid description of the pickerel (pages 283-284).

6. _Winter Animals_ (Volume VII, page 293) is a third one of Thoreau's essays. An analysis shows that he tells something of all the following interesting things:

I. Winter routes over lakes, pages 293-294.

II. Sounds by day and night. a. The melodious note of a hooting owl, page 294. b. The honking of a goose, page 294. c. The harsh and tremulous call of a cat-owl, page 294. d. The whooping of the ice, page 295. e. The barking of foxes, page 295. f. The feet of the red squirrel down the sides of the house, page 295. g. The discordant screams of the jays, page 298. h. The wiry note of the chickadee, page 298. i. The whirring wings of the partridges, page 299. j. The yelping of hounds, and the hunting horn (including fox hunting), pages 300-304.

III. The destructiveness of squirrels and wild mice, pages 296-297.

IV. The hares, pages 304-305.

7. _Trees and Ants That Help Each Other_ (Volume VII, page 306) is a selection from the writings of Thomas Belt. It is an extremely interesting account of some of the curious adaptations of plants and animals to each other, as is indicated sufficiently by the title. An outline of the essay follows:

I. A species of acacia, pages 306-309. 1. Houses and feeds ants. a. Houses in thorns. b. Feeds (1) by glands and (2) by a pear-shaped appendage. 2. Ants protect trees. 3. Each seems beneficial to the other.

II. A cecropia, or trumpet tree, pages 309-311. 1. Houses and feeds ants. a. Houses in hollow stems. b. Feeds ants through herds of plant-lice that suck juices of plant and secrete honey. 2. Ants protect trees. 3. Apparently beneficial to all.

III. An evergreen shrub. 1. Houses and (probably) feeds ants. a. Houses in pouches at base of leaves. b. Probably feeds ants through the services of scale insects and plant-lice. 2. Ants protect shrubs. 3. Probably beneficial to all.

IV. Plants feeding ants, pages 311-312. 1. Orchids. 2. Passion flowers. 3. Dog rose.

B. Classified Selections

The following selections, ranging from nursery rhymes to some of the finest things ever written, may be considered available for the purpose of creating interest in nature study or of adding to a stock of knowledge already acquired. For convenience, they are classified in a general way, according to the subject-matter of which they treat:

I. Flowers and plant life: _a._ Nursery rhymes: (1) _Daffy-Down-Dilly Has Come Up to Town_, Volume I, page 47. (2) _Mary, Mary Quite Contrary_, I, 30.

_b._ Fables: (1) _The Boy and the Nettle_, Volume I, page 65. (2) _The Fox and the Grapes_, I, 135.

_c._ Fairy Tales: (1) _The Tree_, Volume I, page 301. (2) _The Flax_, I, 378. (3) _The Fir Tree_, II, 68.

_d._ Poems: (1) _The Reaper and the Flowers_, Volume I, page 410. (2) _John's Pumpkin_, III, 1. (3) _The Potato_, II, 467. (4) _The Moss Rose_, VI, 98. (5) _The Daffodils_, VII, 1. (6) _To the Fringed Gentian_, VII, 4. (7) _To a Mountain Daisy_, VII, 8. (8) _The Petrified Fern_, VII, 77.

_e._ An interesting essay: (1) _A Bed of Nettles_, Volume VIII, page 209.

_f._ See references to _The Swiss Family Robinson_ and _Trees and Ants That Help Each Other_, in the earlier part of this section.

II. Birds: _a._ Nursery rhymes: (1) _Lady Bird, Lady Bird_, Volume I, page 12. (2) _Higgledy, Piggledy_, I, 20. (3) _Poor Robin_, I, 16.

_b._ Poems: (1) _Little Birdie_, Volume I, page 142. (2) _The Brown Thrush_, I, page 147. (3) _The English Robin_, II, 214. (4) _Who Stole the Bird's Nest_? II, 399. (5) _Four Ducks on a Pond_, VI, 98. (6) _The Rime of the Ancient Mariner_, VII, 29. (7) _Ode to a Skylark_, VII, 275 (8) _To a Waterfowl_, VII, 395. (9) _The Romance of the Swan's Nest_, VIII, 315.

_c._ Fables: (1) _The Fox and the Crow_, Volume I, page 64. (2) _The Fox and the Stork_, I, 73. (3) _The Wolf and the Crane_, I, 96. (4) _The Lark and Her Young Ones_, I, 131. (5) _The Owl and the Pussy Cat_, I, 339. (6) _Minerva and the Owl_, II, 7.

_d._ Fairy Story: (1) _The Ugly Duckling_, Volume I, page 414.

_e._ An Essay: (1) _Owls_, IX, page 229.

_f._ See also references to _Tom, the Water Baby_, _The Swiss Family Robinson_, _Brute Neighbors_, and _Winter Animals_, in earlier parts of this section.

III. Four-footed animals: _a._ Nursery rhymes: (1) _Ding Dong Bell_, Volume I, page 15. (2) _Little Bo Peep_, I, 9. (3) _Old Mother Hubbard_, I, 24. (4) _Three Little Kittens_, I, 13. (5) _Baa, Baa, Black Sheep_ I, 8.

_b._ Fables: (1) _The Fox and the Crow_, Volume I, page 64. (2) _The Ass in the Lion's Skin_, I, 65. (3) _The Fox and the Stork_, I, 73. (4) _The Gnat and the Bull_, I, 70. (5) _The Lion and the Mouse_, I, 75. (6) _The Wolf and the Crane_, I, 96. (7) _The Fox and the Grapes_, I, 135. (8) _The Bat and the Two Weasels_, I, 154. (9) _The Owl and the Pussy Cat_, I, 339. (10) _The Horse and the Stag,_ I, 338. (11) _The Fox, the Wolf, and the Horse_, I, 377. (12) _The Wolf and the Lamb_, I, 455.

_c._ Poetry: (1) _The Cow_, Volume I, page 106. (2) _Mercy to Animals_, I, 413. (3) _How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix_, V, 335. (4) _To a Mouse_, VII, 5.

_d._ Stories: (1) _A Dog of Flanders_, Volume IV, page 93. (2) _The Lion and the Missionary_, VI, 93. (3) _Rab and His Friends_, VI, 99. (4) _Elephant Hunting_, VI, 385. (5) _The Gorilla Hunt_, VII, 247.

_e._ Essays: (1) _Some Clever Monkeys_, Volume VI, page 402. (2) _The Buffalo_, VII, 96.

_f._ See, also, references to _Tom, the Water Baby_, _The Swiss Family Robinson_, _Brute Neighbors_, and _The Pond in Winter_, in the earlier part of this section.

IV. Reptiles: _a._ Fable: (1) _The Boys and the Frogs_, Volume I, page 63.

_b._ See, also, references to _Tom, the Water Baby_, and _The Swiss Family Robinson_, in the earlier part of this section.

V. Insects: _a._ Nursery rhyme: (1) _Little Miss Muffett_, Volume I, page 29.

_b._ Fable: (1) _The Gnat and the Bull_, I, 70.

_c._ Poem: (1) _The Spider and the Fly_, III, 19.

_d._ Essay: (1) _Trees and Ants That Help Each Other_, VII, 306.

_e._ See, also, references to _Tom, the Water Baby_, in the earlier part of this section.

VI. Denizens of the water: _a._ Fish: (1) _Salmon Fishing_, Volume VII, page 285. (2) "Pickerel," in _The Pond in Winter_, VII, 280. (3) See, also, "Salmon," in _Tom, the Water Baby_, II, 272, 279-283.

_b._ See numerous references to _Tom, the Water Baby_, in the earlier part of this section.

VII. Natural Phenomena: _a._ Nursery rhymes: (1) _Rainbow in the Morning_, Volume I, page 48. (2) _If All the World Were Water_, I, 48.

_b._ Poems: (1) _Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star_, Volume I, page 44. (2) _The Sun's Travels_, I, 68. (3) _Rain_, I, 110. (4) _Autumn Fires_, I, 394. (5) _The Wind_, I, 440. (6) _The First Snowfall_, II 403. (7) _In Time's Swing_, II, 481. (8) _Echo_, III, 286. (9) _The Rainbow_, VI, 91. (10) _Sweet and Low_, VI, 122. (11) _The Cloud_, VII, 257.

_c._ Fable: (1) _The Wind and the Sun_, Volume I, page 95.

VIII. Geographical in Nature: (1) _At the Seaside_, Volume I, page 129. (2) _From a Railway Carriage_, I, 198. (3) _Stop, Stop, Pretty Water_, I, 317. (4) _Song of the Brook_, IV, 60. (5) _A Descent into the Maelstrom_, VIII, 95. (6) _Ascent of the Jungfrau_, IX, 1.

II

Aid in answering the second problem may be found in the following paragraph:

A series of interesting studies may be founded on the use which authors make of nature by way of direct and indirect allusion in their works. Such lessons are the opposite of those we have been considering. Now, the literary selection is taken first, read carefully and the allusions noted and classified. It will be noticed that it is not necessary that selections used for this purpose should be new to the pupils. In fact, genuine literature has the merit of being always new, always interesting. No better service can be rendered to a child than to create in him a love for the fine things in literature. Continued, monotonous study of a masterpiece may breed dislike of it, especially if the exercises are dull and formal. But to approach an old favorite from a new direction, to look at it from a new point of view, is to lend it added charms.

A. To illustrate our method, we will use _The King of the Golden River_ (Volume II, page 405).

1. _Assignment._ The leader assigns the work as follows: "I wish you to read the first section of _The King of the Golden River_ and write in the order of their occurrence, every mention of a living thing or natural object and every allusion to them. Use the words of the story when possible, but be brief. After each put a number, to show the page of the story. Let us see who can find the greatest number and who can make the best paper."

2. _Preparation._ If the children work well their lists will be something like this:

a. The valley in the mountains. Page 405. (1) Snow-covered peaks; cataracts; a crag; river; circular hollows. (2) Heavy crops; high hay; red apples; blue grapes; rich wine; sweet honey. (3) Blackbirds; hedgehogs; crickets; cicadas. (4) Corn.

b. The wet summer. Page 407. (1) Hay; vines; corn.

c. A nice piece of mutton. Page 408.

d. Must be the wind. Page 408.

e. A black feather some three feet long. Page 409.

f. Like a beaten puppy's tail. Page 410.

g. Like a mill stream. Page 410.

h. Licking its chops. Page 410.

i. A gust of wind that made the old chimneys totter. Page 411.

j. Quicksilver-like streams. Page 411.

k. Like a straw in the high wind. Page 413.