The Project Gutenberg eBook ofNatural WondersThis ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.Title: Natural WondersAuthor: Edwin Tenney BrewsterRelease date: January 13, 2015 [eBook #47961]Most recently updated: October 24, 2024Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by Roger Frank*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NATURAL WONDERS ***
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online atwww.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Natural WondersAuthor: Edwin Tenney BrewsterRelease date: January 13, 2015 [eBook #47961]Most recently updated: October 24, 2024Language: EnglishCredits: Produced by Roger Frank
Title: Natural Wonders
Author: Edwin Tenney Brewster
Author: Edwin Tenney Brewster
Release date: January 13, 2015 [eBook #47961]Most recently updated: October 24, 2024
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Roger Frank
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NATURAL WONDERS ***
THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARYNATURAL WONDERS
THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY
The Robin Moth
The Robin Moth
THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARYNATURAL WONDERSByEDWIN TENNEY BREWSTERGarden City — New YorkDOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC.1928
THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY
NATURAL WONDERS
ByEDWIN TENNEY BREWSTER
Garden City — New YorkDOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC.1928
COPYRIGHT, 1912 BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES ATTHE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.
COPYRIGHT, 1912 BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES ATTHE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.
PREFACENo small part of our fundamental knowledge concerning the world of nature has been put into shape for comprehension by children, time out of mind. “The Swiss Family Robinson” is half natural history, even if not always of an especially convincing kind; and science of all sorts, good and bad together, makes up no small portion of Jules Verne’s uncounted tales. “Cousin Cramchild’s Conversations,” if there had been such a book, would have embodied the Victorian idea of what every child should know about his universe; while of actual books, we elders recall at once Abbott’s “Science for the Young,” and the half dozen contributions to juvenile knowledge of John Trowbridge and “Arabella Buckley.” Even the great Ostwald, within the decade, has made a child’s book on chemistry after the old conversational form.In school, moreover, between his geography and his nature study, the modern child becomes acquainted with not a little modern science, while in most of our states a detailed acquaintance, by no means always scientific, with his own physiology is required by law of every public school pupil. One thing with another, today’s child of eight or ten is supposed to know a little of physics and of biology, together with a good deal in a general way of earth science and the elements of human physiology.Naturally, there are excellent texts and reading books in all these fields. So far as I am aware, however, the present work is the first attempt to set before young readers some knowledge of certain loosely related but very modern topics, commonly grouped together under the name, General Physiology. It is, in short, an attempt to lead children of eight or ten, first to ask and then to answer, the question: What have I in common with other living things, and how do I differ from them? Incidentally, in addition, I have attempted to provide a foundation on which a perplexed but serious-minded parent can himself base an answer to several puzzling questions which all children ask—most especially to that most difficult of them all: By what process of becoming did I myself finally appear in this world?How far I have succeeded with either task, I leave to the mothers who shall read this book aloud.E. T. B.Andover, Massachusetts
PREFACE
No small part of our fundamental knowledge concerning the world of nature has been put into shape for comprehension by children, time out of mind. “The Swiss Family Robinson” is half natural history, even if not always of an especially convincing kind; and science of all sorts, good and bad together, makes up no small portion of Jules Verne’s uncounted tales. “Cousin Cramchild’s Conversations,” if there had been such a book, would have embodied the Victorian idea of what every child should know about his universe; while of actual books, we elders recall at once Abbott’s “Science for the Young,” and the half dozen contributions to juvenile knowledge of John Trowbridge and “Arabella Buckley.” Even the great Ostwald, within the decade, has made a child’s book on chemistry after the old conversational form.
In school, moreover, between his geography and his nature study, the modern child becomes acquainted with not a little modern science, while in most of our states a detailed acquaintance, by no means always scientific, with his own physiology is required by law of every public school pupil. One thing with another, today’s child of eight or ten is supposed to know a little of physics and of biology, together with a good deal in a general way of earth science and the elements of human physiology.
Naturally, there are excellent texts and reading books in all these fields. So far as I am aware, however, the present work is the first attempt to set before young readers some knowledge of certain loosely related but very modern topics, commonly grouped together under the name, General Physiology. It is, in short, an attempt to lead children of eight or ten, first to ask and then to answer, the question: What have I in common with other living things, and how do I differ from them? Incidentally, in addition, I have attempted to provide a foundation on which a perplexed but serious-minded parent can himself base an answer to several puzzling questions which all children ask—most especially to that most difficult of them all: By what process of becoming did I myself finally appear in this world?
How far I have succeeded with either task, I leave to the mothers who shall read this book aloud.
E. T. B.
Andover, Massachusetts
NATURAL WONDERS
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONSFrontispieceThe Robin MothFull Page IllustrationsHow the Chicken Gets Inside the EggSeeds That Have Plumes and WingsThe Star-fish Has Eyes on His Arms; The Slug Also Has Eyes on His Horns; The Snail Has Eyes on His Two Longer HornsLymph Cells or White Blood CorpusclesExtinct Reptiles Which Look Like a Mixture of Alligator, Rhinoceros and Kangaroo but Their Bones Were More Like the Bones of BirdsIn the TextA Sea-UrchinEggs of Perch After Egg LayingSalmon with Yolk SacThe Bean Egg Changes to a Bean PlantLiving Bricks Which Make the Skin of a LeafCells of the Inner Tree PulpCells of the Outer Skin of a LeafCells of a Pond Scum Much EnlargedThree Sorts of Infusoria Much EnlargedSome Jelly-fish Grown on Stalks and Some Swim About in the SeaThe Cob Is the Mother of the CornPollen Grains Much EnlargedA Right-handed Person Has All His Thinking Spots on the Left Side of His BrainA Sea-anemoneMore Common Infusorians, Much EnlargedThe Leaf Has a Spiral Joint on Which to TurnOptical IllusionsOptical IllusionsOptical IllusionsOptical IllusionsOptical IllusionsEar of a Mole Cricket on the Front LegBack of the Frog’s Eyes Are the Ear DrumsA NewtThe Leaves Take in Air Through Breathing HolesIn Place of Lungs, Insects Have Breathing HolesThe Minute Animal Which Causes the “Sleeping Sickness”The Caterpillar Changes into a MothAccidents to Growing Fish EggsA Two-headed Turtle, a Crab with an Eye on One Side and a Feeler on the Other, and a Child With Two Great Toes on Each FootThe Fangs of a RattlesnakeEarly Man Scratched Pictures of the Mammoth on Pieces of Its Own BonesThe Elephant Has Lost the Front of His FaceOur Single-toed Horse Has Been Made Over from a Four-toed One
ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece
The Robin Moth
Full Page Illustrations
How the Chicken Gets Inside the Egg
Seeds That Have Plumes and Wings
The Star-fish Has Eyes on His Arms; The Slug Also Has Eyes on His Horns; The Snail Has Eyes on His Two Longer Horns
Lymph Cells or White Blood Corpuscles
Extinct Reptiles Which Look Like a Mixture of Alligator, Rhinoceros and Kangaroo but Their Bones Were More Like the Bones of Birds
In the Text
A Sea-Urchin
Eggs of Perch After Egg Laying
Salmon with Yolk Sac
The Bean Egg Changes to a Bean Plant
Living Bricks Which Make the Skin of a Leaf
Cells of the Inner Tree Pulp
Cells of the Outer Skin of a Leaf
Cells of a Pond Scum Much Enlarged
Three Sorts of Infusoria Much Enlarged
Some Jelly-fish Grown on Stalks and Some Swim About in the Sea
The Cob Is the Mother of the Corn
Pollen Grains Much Enlarged
A Right-handed Person Has All His Thinking Spots on the Left Side of His Brain
A Sea-anemone
More Common Infusorians, Much Enlarged
The Leaf Has a Spiral Joint on Which to Turn
Optical Illusions
Optical Illusions
Optical Illusions
Optical Illusions
Optical Illusions
Ear of a Mole Cricket on the Front Leg
Back of the Frog’s Eyes Are the Ear Drums
A Newt
The Leaves Take in Air Through Breathing Holes
In Place of Lungs, Insects Have Breathing Holes
The Minute Animal Which Causes the “Sleeping Sickness”
The Caterpillar Changes into a Moth
Accidents to Growing Fish Eggs
A Two-headed Turtle, a Crab with an Eye on One Side and a Feeler on the Other, and a Child With Two Great Toes on Each Foot
The Fangs of a Rattlesnake
Early Man Scratched Pictures of the Mammoth on Pieces of Its Own Bones
The Elephant Has Lost the Front of His Face
Our Single-toed Horse Has Been Made Over from a Four-toed One