Boxes containing toads, turtles, frogs, snakes and lizards are often used to advantage. It may be that these animals can be so enclosed that they can be handled. If a person can pick a thing up, a great deal more interest is taken in the exhibit.
Tubs or glass bowls containing water plants, fish, water insects, or small interesting water plants may be advantageously used on a nature trail.
It may be possible that animals frequent a certain part of trail quite regularly at certain times of day. If these animals leave tracks, it may be worth while to smooth down a dusty part of the trail frequently so that the animal stepping on the unmarked soil leaves a distinct track. This method can also be used with birds. It may be possible to make the footprints with mounted specimens, also.
Another contrivance that has been used is pivoted arrow mounted on a horizontal dial upon which are marked different species of trees that are some distance away with a description of the main tree characteristics. By placing the arrow over these marks, the observer can study the trees from a distance.
There are other means of adding to nature trails, but the above have already been successfully tried.
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