The Living LibraryAN INITIATIVE OF FONTES ACADEMY
Handbook bookLiving Library
A complete book within the Living Library

The Handbook of Nature-Study Online Companion

Anna Botsford Comstock’s lessons, gathered as their own book. Move through animal life, plant life, and earth and sky, one attentive encounter at a time.

234 individual lessons · Original 1911 text · Open to families, co-ops, and schools
Open the table of contents ↓
A great blue heron at the edge of a pond under the branches of a willow tree
Nature photograph supplied by the Fontes family, cropped and enhanced for this companion.

The Fontes Living Library has original studies made by young researchers. This is a different shelf: one historical book with its own contents and one page for each numbered lesson. The Painted Turtle and Bluethroat studies remain their own Living Library entries; they can invite comparisons with Comstock’s lessons.

Before you go outdoors

How to use a living lesson

Read the teacher material beforehand when you can. Then meet a real plant or animal, or attend to a natural event, with your students. Ask just a few of the questions aloud while the subject is before you. Let children notice, compare, and work toward their own answers. The questions are a store of possibilities, not a list to finish in one visit.

Do not supply an answer that observation could reveal. A parent who has not prepared can investigate alongside the child. After the encounter, invite an oral narration or an illustration in a paper nature journal. Only then discuss questions you could not answer by looking. Come back in another season when a question needs time.

Comstock’s original wording is presented as a historical source. Some methods and scientific claims have changed. Observe wildlife from a respectful distance; do not collect, confine, disturb nests, or try an experiment without current safety and local guidance. Never look directly at the Sun.

This introduction summarizes Comstock’s “How to Use this Book”. Each lesson links to the original illustrated volume.

The complete book

Table of contents

Choose a part, then a numbered lesson. Each page has a short field introduction, the teacher’s reading, and Comstock’s original lesson and questions. The book order follows the original numbering.

Animal life

Lessons 1–116

  1. IFeathers as Clothing
  2. IIFeathers as Ornament
  3. IIIHow Birds Fly
  4. IVEyes and Ears of Birds
  5. VThe Beak of a Bird
  6. VIThe Feet of Birds
  7. VIIChicken Ways
  8. VIIIPigeons
  9. IXThe Canary and the Goldfinch
  10. XThe Robin
  11. XIThe Bluebird
  12. XIIThe Nuthatch
  13. XIIIThe Chickadee
  14. XIVThe Downy Woodpecker
  15. XVThe Sapsucker
  16. XVIThe Red-headed Woodpecker
  17. XVIIThe Flicker
  18. XVIIIThe Meadow-Lark
  19. XIXThe English Sparrow
  20. XXThe Chipping Sparrow
  21. XXIThe Song Sparrow
  22. XXIIThe Mocking Bird
  23. XXIIIThe Catbird
  24. XXIVThe Kingfisher
  25. XXVThe Screech Owl
  26. XXVIThe Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks
  27. XXVIIThe Swallows and Swifts
  28. XXVIIIThe Hummingbird
  29. XXIXThe Red-winged Blackbird
  30. XXXThe Oriole
  31. XXXIThe Crow
  32. XXXIIThe Cardinal Grosbeak
  33. XXXIIIGeese
  34. XXXIVTurkeys
  35. XXXVThe Study of Birds’ Nests in Winter
  36. XXXVIA Study of the Fish
  37. XXXVIIThe Bullhead, or Horned Pout
  38. XXXVIIIThe Common Sucker
  39. XXXIXThe Shiner
  40. XLThe Brook Trout
  41. XLIThe Stickleback
  42. XLIIThe Sunfish
  43. XLIIIJohnny Darter
  44. XLIVThe Tadpole Aquarium
  45. XLVThe Toad
  46. XLVIThe Tree-frog or Tree-toad
  47. XLVIIThe Frog
  48. XLVIIIThe Newt, Eft, or “Salamander”
  49. XLIXThe Garter, or Garden, Snake
  50. LThe Milk Snake, or Spotted Adder
  51. LIThe Water Snake
  52. LIIThe Turtle
  53. LIIIThe Cotton-tail Rabbit
  54. LIVThe Muskrat
  55. LVThe House Mouse
  56. LVIThe Woodchuck or Ground-Hog
  57. LVIIThe Red Squirrel or Chickaree
  58. LVIIIThe Chipmunk
  59. LIXThe Bat
  60. LXThe Skunk
  61. LXIThe Raccoon
  62. LXIIThe Fox
  63. LXIIIDOGS
  64. LXIVThe Cat
  65. LXVThe Goat
  66. LXVIThe Sheep
  67. LXVIIThe Horse
  68. LXVIIIThe Cow
  69. LXIXThe Pig
  70. LXXThe Black Swallow-Tail Butterfly
  71. LXXIThe Monarch Butterfly
  72. LXXIIThe Isabella Tiger-Moth, or Woolly Bear
  73. LXXIIIThe Cecropia
  74. LXXIVThe Promethea
  75. LXXVThe Humming-bird, or Sphinx, Moths
  76. LXXVIThe Codling Moth
  77. LXXVIILeaf-miners
  78. LXXVIIIThe Leaf-rollers
  79. LXXIXThe Gall-dwellers
  80. LXXXThe Red-Legged Grasshopper
  81. LXXXIThe Katydid
  82. LXXXIIThe Black Cricket
  83. LXXXIIIThe Cockroach
  84. LXXXIVHow to Make an Aquarium
  85. LXXXVThe Dragon-flies and Damsel-flies
  86. LXXXVIThe Caddis-worms and Caddis-flies
  87. LXXXVIIThe Aphids, or Plant-lice
  88. LXXXVIIIThe Ant-Lion
  89. LXXXIXThe Mother Lace-wing and the Aphis-lion
  90. XCThe Mosquito
  91. XCIThe House-fly
  92. XCIIThe Colorado Potato-beetle
  93. XCIIIThe Ladybird
  94. XCIVThe Firefly
  95. XCVField Observations on Ants
  96. XCVIHow to Make the Lubbock Ant-nest
  97. XCVIIThe Ant-Nest, And What May Be Seen Within It
  98. XCVIIIThe Mud-dauber
  99. XCIXThe Yellow-jacket
  100. CThe Leaf-cutter Bee
  101. CIThe Little Carpenter-bee
  102. CIIThe Bumblebee
  103. CIIIThe Honey-bee
  104. CIVThe Honey-comb
  105. CVThe Industries of the Hive
  106. CVIThe Garden Snail
  107. CVIIThe Earthworm
  108. CVIIIThe Crayfish
  109. CIXThe Daddy-Longlegs
  110. CXCobwebs
  111. CXIThe Funnel Web
  112. CXIIThe Orb-web
  113. CXIIIThe Filmy Dome
  114. CXIVBallooning Spiders
  115. CXVThe White Crab-spider
  116. CXVIThe Nests of Spiders

Plant life

Lessons 117–208

  1. CXVIIThe Hepatica
  2. CXVIIIAdder’s Tongue, or Dog-tooth Violet
  3. CXIXBloodroot
  4. CXXThe Trillium
  5. CXXIDutchman’s Breeches and Squirrel Corn
  6. CXXIIJack-in-the-pulpit
  7. CXXIIIThe Violet
  8. CXXIVThe Mandrake
  9. CXXVThe Bluets
  10. CXXVIThe Yellow Lady’s Slipper
  11. CXXVIIThe Buttercup
  12. CXXVIIIThe Evening Primrose
  13. CXXIXThe Hedge Bindweed
  14. CXXXThe Dodder
  15. CXXXIThe Milkweed
  16. CXXXIIThe Water Lily
  17. CXXXIIIPondweed
  18. CXXXIVThe Cat-tail
  19. CXXXVA Type Lesson for a Composite Flower
  20. CXXXVIThe Goldenrod
  21. CXXXVIIThe Asters
  22. CXXXVIIIThe White Daisy
  23. CXXXIXThe Black-Eyed Susan
  24. CXLThe Common, or Lance-leaved, Thistle
  25. CXLIThe Burdock
  26. CXLIIPrickly Lettuce
  27. CXLIIIThe Dandelion
  28. CXLIVThe Pearly Everlasting
  29. CXLVThe Jewelweed, or Touch-me-not
  30. CXLVIMullein
  31. CXLVIIThe Teasel
  32. CXLVIIIQueen Anne’s Lace, or Wild Carrot
  33. CXLIXOutline for the Study of a Weed
  34. CLThe Crocus
  35. CLIDaffodils, Jonquils and Narcissus
  36. CLIIThe Tulips
  37. CLIIIThe Pansy
  38. CLIVThe Bleeding Heart
  39. CLVThe Poppy
  40. CLVIThe California Poppy
  41. CLVIIThe Nasturtium
  42. CLVIIIThe Bee-larkspur
  43. CLIXThe Blue Flag or Iris
  44. CLXThe Sunflower
  45. CLXIThe Bachelor’s Button
  46. CLXIISalvia, or Scarlet Sage
  47. CLXIIIThe Petunia
  48. CLXIVThe Horseshoe Geranium
  49. CLXVThe Sweet Pea
  50. CLXVIThe Clovers
  51. CLXVIISweet Clover
  52. CLXVIIIThe White Clover
  53. CLXIXThe Maize
  54. CLXXCotton
  55. CLXXIThe Strawberry
  56. CLXXIIThe Pumpkin
  57. CLXXIIIThe Christmas Fern
  58. CLXXIVThe Bracken
  59. CLXXVHow A Fern Bud Unfolds
  60. CLXXVIThe Fruiting of the Fern
  61. CLXXVIIThe Field Horsetail
  62. CLXXVIIIThe Hair-Cap Moss
  63. CLXXIXMushrooms
  64. CLXXXPuffballs
  65. CLXXXIBracket Fungi
  66. CLXXXIIHedgehog Fungi
  67. CLXXXIIIThe Scarlet Saucer (Sarcocypha coccinea)
  68. CLXXXIVThe Morels
  69. CLXXXVThe Stinkhorns
  70. CLXXXVIMolds
  71. CLXXXVIIBacteria
  72. CLXXXVIIITree Study
  73. CLXXXIXHow to Make Leaf Prints
  74. CXCThe Sugar Maple
  75. CXCIThe Elm
  76. CXCIIThe Oaks
  77. CXCIIIThe Shagbark
  78. CXCIVThe Chestnut
  79. CXCVThe Horse-Chestnut
  80. CXCVIThe Willows
  81. CXCVIIThe Cottonwood
  82. CXCVIIIAsh Trees
  83. CXCIXThe Apple Tree
  84. CCHow an Apple Grows
  85. CCIThe Apple
  86. CCIIThe Pine
  87. CCIIIThe Norway Spruce
  88. CCIVThe Hemlock
  89. CCVThe Dogwood
  90. CCVIThe Velvet, or Staghorn, Sumac
  91. CCVIIThe Witch-Hazel
  92. CCVIIIThe Mountain Laurel

Earth and sky

Lessons 209–234

  1. CCIXThe Brook
  2. CCXHow a Brook Drops Its Load
  3. CCXICrystal Growth
  4. CCXIISalt
  5. CCXIIIHow to Study Minerals
  6. CCXIVQuartz
  7. CCXVFeldspar
  8. CCXVIMica
  9. CCXVIIGranite
  10. CCXVIIICalcite, Marble and Limestone
  11. CCXIXThe Magnet
  12. CCXXThe Soil
  13. CCXXIWater Forms
  14. CCXXIIExperiments to Show Air Pressure
  15. CCXXIIIThe Barometer
  16. CCXXIVHow to Read Weather Maps
  17. CCXXVThe Two Dippers
  18. CCXXVICassiopeia’s Chair, Cepheus, and the Dragon
  19. CCXXVIIOrion
  20. CCXXVIIIAldebaran and the Pleiades
  21. CCXXIXThe Two Dog Stars
  22. CCXXXCapella and the Heavenly Twins
  23. CCXXXIThe Bright Stars of Summer
  24. CCXXXIIThe Relation of the Sun to the Earth
  25. CCXXXIIIHow to Make a Sundial
  26. CCXXXIVThe Moon
The original volume

Read the source

Project Gutenberg’s complete illustrated edition and the Biodiversity Heritage Library scan remain available. The 1911 work is public domain in the United States. Illustrations shown on lesson pages are loaded from the original Gutenberg edition.