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CHAPTER IV FRIENDS IN THE OUT OF DOORS How to Ejiow the Wild Things All bo5rs want to know the ways and thmgs of Nature. The difficulty is to know where to begin. There are so many kinds of flowers, ferns, birds, trees, grasses, bugs, insects, fish, rocks, etc., that one is confused and hardly knows where to begin his search for knowledge. The trail is not so hard to find as it was a few years ago, for to- day there are plenty of blazes on its trees and the footway is well worn and cleared of logs — ^that is to say, there are plenty of good handbooks, not to speak of fellow travellers, who help by pointing to the blaze that perhaps escaped our eye, and who are wearing the pathway smooth. But one must make a starts and it is well to get a few general rules in mind. First, take one thing at a time. Second, "Look in the book." Have a simple but comprehensive guide book (if possible one that you can own) that tells in simple, dear language the main facts. Later, you will want to go into more scientific study. Third, make a record in a notebook of what you see and either make drawings or preserve specimens. Fourth, if you have a friend "who knows" get information from him as to the specimen you have seen or have in your possession. The best way to begin, supposing you are alone, is with the flowers. They are so easy " to catch " and preserve. Get a good handbook of flowers. Reed's is the smallest, simplest, and best for beginners (Dana's, Blanchan's, or Lounsbury's are also good) and either a big scrap albvun or, better, a 1 2 by 18 inch portfolio with twenty or thirty loose sheets of heavy white or gray paper to fit; also a tin case, any big tin will do; but you can buy a properly made one for about a dollar. Botanical enthusiasm is always at its height just when you find the first spring flower. Suppose then, in March, you have found the liverleaf in its blue bloom. Take xip one, leaf and flower; put it in yovu: tin case; that will keep it perfectly fresh for many hours. At home, take a