Book Description

Excerpt from Elementary Textbook of Economic Zoology and Entomology The point of view from which this book is written is explained in its first chapter. For that matter it is indicated clearly by the title. If the study of zoology is being neglected in schools for the alleged reason that it is not a useful study, the neglect is based on an unsound reason. For zoology is useful, and not in one way alone, but in two ways; and both of these in addition to its pedagogic value as a study which develops accurate personal observation and independent personal attainment of conclusion. Zoology is first of all useful in the way so often stressed by Huxley, as a study that gives us a sounder basis for our own life by showing the demands of Nature on animal life in general and the kinds of responses to be made to these demands. In other words it is quite specially a branch of science that can help us largely as a guide to living in conformity to natural laws. Zoology is also useful in a more obvious and commercially ratable way, by revealing the precise relation which many animals bear to us in their attitude of friends to be cultivated, or foes to be fought. Injurious insects, alone, cause this country an annual loss of a billion dollars. A general knowledge of insect life and an intelligent and vigorous application of this knowledge can save the nation half this loss. To the teacher intending to use this book as class guide there is due a word of explanation. The authors have attempted to make the book an introduction to general zoology as well as to that specific phase of it called economic. The first chapters are therefore of a nature to introduce pupils to general facts of animal structure and life. They are arranged on the basis of accepted pedagogic principles. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.