8 Det^elopments in Agriadtural Zoology 



responds to this curative treatment, and although evidence is at present 

 hard to obtain except by personal visits, yet it points to the serious 

 incidence of husk and other round worm diseases in certain districts, 

 whilst the severe stomach worm disease seems at present to be waning 

 in extent of range and intensity. There is however a very real need of 

 dealing more fully with these animal parasites from all points of view 

 than has ever been undertaken before and to this end the Board of 

 Agriculture has approved the appointment of Dr Chas. L. Boulenger as 

 Reader in Helminthology at Birmingham University. It is to be hoped 

 that the other centres, such as Liverpool and London Universities 

 where similar work is organised and other Research Institutions where 

 animal nutrition and animal pathology are dealt with, will co-operate 

 with Birmingham in regard to the difficult common problems that arise 

 in connection with prevention of stock from these verminous diseases. 

 One general conclusion is reached on considering the future that lies 

 before zoological research as applied to agriculture. It is that mutual 

 assistance between the man on the land and the worker in the laboratory 

 or in the field is essential to progress. We need a careful census of the 

 country, a census that is of the animals and the animal-borne diseases 

 affecting agriculture. We need more work, far more work, on the life- 

 histories of the groups in question, whether indifferent, noxious or 

 beneficial. But more than these, there is required a real and mutual 

 understanding between the stock owner and the investigators and 

 between the investigators of different countries working at similar 

 problems. An organised study of animal parasites is now in progress 

 in most civilised countries, and renewed interest in the subject has spread 

 like a wave in the last few years. Schools of research are growing up 

 in Egypt, in Australia, Japan and China, so that a means of coordinating 

 the activities of such scattered workers is highly necessary. May this 

 new journal be effective in promoting the progress of research by en- 

 couraging such mutual understanding ! 



