846 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Purchase and use of liver of sulphur {Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 21 (19H), 

 No. S, pp. 236-241; noted in Agr. ISfeivs [Barbados], IS (1914), No. 820, pp. 254, 

 255) . — The results are given of tests made to determine the effects of exposure 

 by loose corking, etc., on stored potassium sulphid. 



The solution, when kept in vessels covered but not corked for 18 days, depos- 

 ited sulphur, and ultimately lost much or all of its value as a fungicide. It is 

 therefore held that solutions of liver of sulphur should be prepared just before 

 they are to be used, or the solutions, if made beforehand, should be kept in 

 full, tightly corked bottles. Liver of sulphur in solid form should be kept in 

 bottles or lever-topped tins of small capacity, say from 0.5 to 1 lb. capacity, 

 to be opened just before use. 



ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY— ENTOMOLOGY. 



Animal geography: The faunas of the natural regions of the globe, Mabion 

 I. Newbigin {Oxford, England, 1913, pp. 238, pis. 31, figs. 13). — In this book the 

 author attempts to put the main facts connected with the distribution of ani- 

 mals in a form acceptable to the geographical student. It deals with the sub- 

 ject vmder the following chapter headings : The tundra and its fauna ; the taiga, 

 or coniferous forest, and its fauna ; steppe faunas and the Temperate steppes 

 of Asia and North America ; mountain faunas ; the fauna of the tropical forest ; 

 tropical savannas and deserts; special features of island faunas; the distribu- 

 tion of animal life in the sea ; the animals of lakes and rivers and cave faunas ; 

 and zoogeographical regions. 



[Game in California] {Cal. Fish and Game Conirs. Game Bui. 1 {1913), pp. 

 67, figs. 14). — The several papers here presented are as follows: Investigation of 

 the Large Game Situation in California with Special Reference to Deer, by 

 F. C. Clarke (pp. 6-20) ; The Present and Future Status of the California Val- 

 ley Quail, by H. C. Bryant (pp. 21-34) ; Introduction of Foreign Game Birds 

 into the Southern San Joaquin and Tributary Sections, by A. D. Ferguson 

 (pp. 36^0) ; Educating the Young People as to the Need and Value of Wild 

 Life Conservation, by Gretchen L. Libby (pp. 41-46) ; and Investigation of the 

 Economic Status of Nongame Birds, by H. C. Bryant (vp. 47-67). 



The food of the common mole, P. B. White {Jour. Bd. Agr. [London], 21 

 {1914), No. 5, pp. 401-407).— The results of studies of the food of 100 individuals 

 of the common mole {Talpa europea) collected in two localities are presented 

 in tabular form. " It is clear that earthworms and, in the moles examined, 

 leather jackets are to be looked upon as the staple articles of diet, these appear- 

 ing in 92 per cent and 87 per cent of the stomachs, respectively. Centipedes 

 came next in 50 per cent and wireworms in 41 per cent of the stomachs." 



The control of rodents in field seeding, C. P. Willis {Proc. Soc. Amer. 

 Foresters, 9 {1914), No. 3, pp. 365-379). — "Rodents and white-footed mice in 

 particular destroy a large percentage of our field-sown seeds. The rodent loss 

 is so high that it guaranties failure of seeding. Either the rodent must be con- 

 trolled or seeding must be given up. 



" Rodents have such keen noses that it is impracticable to hide seed from them 

 by burying it deeply or by disguising its odor. It is possible that a substance 

 poisonous or distasteful to rodents may yet be found effective for coating seeds. 

 Up to the present no satisfactory coating has been discovered. Sowing seed 

 incased in screen wire has little to commend it. Wholesale poisoning of rodents 

 Is ineffective. Many, but too few, animals can be poisoned. Mulching the seed- 

 epot has a slightly beneficial effect. Covering the seedspot with tar roofing 

 paper has given excellent protection to the seed. This method has disadvan- 

 tages, however, which need further study. Complete protection is given by 



