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for each teacher who wishes to conduct such observations, one to be preserved as the property of the section for reference from year to year, the other to be sent in with the return to the Inspector, who will transmit it to the Superintendent for examination and compilation. " What is desired is to have recorded in these forms the dates of the first leafing, flowering, and fruiting of plants and trees: the first appearance in the locality of birds migrating north in spring or south in autumn, &c. While the objects specified here are given so as to enable comparison to be made between the different sections of the province, it is very desirable that other local phenomena of a similar kind be recorded. Every locality has a flora, fauna, climate, &c, more or less distinctly its own; and the more common trees, shrubs, plants, crops, &c, are those which will be most valuable from a local point of view in rompitiring the characters of a series of seasons. . . "Teachers will find it one of the most convenient means for the stimulation of pupils in observing all natural phenomena when going to and from the school—and some pupils radiate as far as two miles from the schoolroom. The ' nature-study ' under these conditions would thus be mainly undertaken at the most convenient time, without encroaching on school time: while, on the other hand, it will tend to break up the monotony of school travel, fill an idle and wearisome hour with interest, and be one of the most valuable forms of educational discipline. The eyes of a whole school daily passing over a whole school section will let very little escape notice, especially if the first observer of each annually recurring phenomenon receives credit as the firstobserver of it for the year. The observations will be accurate, as the facts must be demonstrated by the most undoubted evidence, such as the bringing of the specimens to the school when possible or necessary. "To all observers the following most important, most essential principles of recording are emphasized: Better no date, no record, than a wrong one or a doubtful one. Sports out of season due to very local conditions not common to at least a small field should not be recorded except parenthetically. The date to be recorded for the purposes of compilation with those of other localities should be the first of lhe marry of its kind following immediately after it. For instance, a butterfly emerging from ils chrysalis in a sheltered cranny by a southern window in January would not'be an indication of the general climate, hut of the peculiarly heated nook in which the chrysalis was sheltered; nor would a flower in a semi-artificial, warm shelter, give the date required. When these sports out of season occur, they might also be recorded, but within a parenthesis to indicate the peculiarity of some of the conditions affecting their early appearance. "These schedules should be sent to the Inspector with the annual school returns in July, containing the observations made during the whole school year, and back as far as the preceding July (if possible) when the schedule of the previous year was necessarily sent in. " A duplicate copy of the schedule of observations should be securely attached to the school register for the year, so that the series of annual observations may be preserved in each locality. The new register has a page for such records. "Remember to fill in carefully and distinctly the date, locality, and other blanks at the head of the schedule on the next page : for, if either the date, or the locality, or the name of the responsible compiler is omitted, the whole paper is worthless, and cannot be bound up for preservation in the volume of the Phonological Observations. " By the aid of the table given in the form, the date, such as the 24th of May, for instance, can be readily and accurately converted into the annual date, 'the 144 th day of the year,' by adding the day of the month given to the annual date of the last day of the preceding month (April in this case), thus: 24+ 120 = 144. The annual date can be briefly recorded, and it is the only kind of dating which can be conveniently averaged for phenological studies. When the compiler is quite certain that he or she can make the conversion without error, the day of the year instead of the day of the month will be preferred in recording the dates. "Phenological Observa'ions, Cnwtdn. (190H Schedule.) " For the year ending July, 190 . " Province : . County : . District : . Locality or school section : No. " The estimated length and breadth of the locality within which the following observations were ma de • x miles. Estimated distance from the sea-coast : miles. Estimated altitude above the sea-level : ft. " Slope or general exposure of the region : " General character of the soil and surface : , . " Proportion of forest, and its character " Does the region include lowlands or intervales ? ; and, if so, name the main river or stream : . Or is it all substantially highlands ? " Any other peculiarity tending to affect vegetation ? The most central post-office of the locality or region :