September 9, 1920] 



NATURE 



65 



but cannot do so because there are not the men with 

 the requisite knowledge and common sense required 

 for inspectorates. There are others that wish for 

 researcli to develop so as to conserve existing indus- 

 tries as w-ell as to discover new ones, and they, too-, 

 are compelled to mark time. 



In default, or in spite, of the efforts of the schools 

 of pure zoology, attempts are being made to set up 

 special training schools in fisheries, in entomology, 

 and in other economic applications of zoology. Each 

 branch is regarded as a science, and the supporters 

 of each suppose they can, from the commencement of 

 a lad's scientific training, gis-e specialised instruction 

 in each. The researcher in each has to do the research 

 which the economic side requires. But he cannot 

 restrict his education to one science ; he requires to 

 know the principles of all sciences ; he must attempt 

 to understand what life is. Moreover, his specialist 

 knowledge can seldom be in one science. The 

 economic entomologist, however deep his knowledge of 

 insects mav be, will find himself frequently at fault 

 in distinguishing cause and effect unless he' has some 

 knowledge of mycology. The protozoologist must 

 have an intimate knowledge of unicellular plants, 

 bacterial and other. The animal-breeder must know 

 the work on cross-fertilisation of plants. The fisheries 

 man requires to understand physical oceanography. 

 The helminthologist and the veterinary surgeon require 

 an intimate knowledge of a rather specialised " physio- 

 't'S.'''-" •^" need knowledge of the comparative 

 physiology of animals in other groups beyond those 

 with which they deal, to assist them in their deduc- 

 tions and to aid them to secure the widest outlook. 

 It is surely a mistake, while the greatest scientific 

 minds of the day find that they require the widest 

 knowledge, to endeavour to get great scientific results 

 out of students whose training has been narrow 

 and specialised. Such specialisation requires to come 

 later, and can replace nothing. This short cut is the 

 longest way round. The danger is not only in our 

 science, but in every science. 



Surely the time has now come for us to lift our eyes 

 from our tables of groups and families, and, on the 

 foundations of the knowledge of these, to work on the 

 processes going on in the living body, the adaptation 

 to environment, the problems of heredity, and at many 

 another fascinating hunt in unknown country. Let 

 us teach our students not only what is known, but, 

 •till more, what is unknown, for in the pursuit of the 

 latter we shall engage eager spirits who rare naught 

 for collections of corpses. My own conviction is that 

 we are in danger of burying our live subject along 

 with our specimens in museums. 



As a result of the wrong teaching of zoology, w* 

 see proposals to make so-railed " Nature-studv " in 

 our schools purely botanical. Is this proposal' made 

 In the interests of the teacher or of the children? It 

 surely cannot be for "decency" if the teaching is 

 honest, for the nlwnomena are the same, and there 

 is nothing "indecent" common to all life. "The 

 proper study of mankind is man," and the poor child, 

 athirst for information about himself, is given a piece 

 of moss or durkwee<l, or eVen n chaste buttercup. 

 Is the child Rupnos<-d to get some knowledge it can 

 apply economically? Whatever the underlying ideas 

 may be. this course will not best develop the mind 

 to enable it to grappk- with all phenomena, the aim 

 f education. If necessary, the school teacher must 

 :'< to school; he must bring himself up to date in 

 his own time, as every teacher in science has to do; 

 it i<i the business of universities to help him, for 

 I nothing is more important to all science than the 

 foundations of knowledge. 



NO. 2654, VOL. 106] 



Native Races of the Empire. 



A MONG the resolutions adopted by the General 

 ■**• Committee of the British Association during the 

 recent meeting at Cardiff, several dealt with problems 

 connected with the native races of the Empire. Of 

 these one referred to the deplorable conditions now- 

 prevailing among the aboriginal tribes of Central 

 .Australia, of which an account was recently given in 

 these columns (see Nature, July 8, p. bc>\). The 

 .Association urged upon the Federal Government and 

 the Governments of VV^estern .Australia and South 

 .Australia the desirability of establishing an absolute 

 reservation upon f)art of the lands now occupied 

 by the tribes within the jurisdiction of these 

 Governments in order that they might be preserved 

 from extinction. The resolution further emphasised 

 the necessity of establishing a medical service for the 

 natives in order to check the ravages of disease by 

 which they are now rapidly being reduced in numbers. 

 It may be hoped that the influence of the Association 

 will add force to the movement which has already 

 been set on foot in South .Australia, and induce the 

 Governments concerned to take action in this matter. 



A second resolution of the .Association dealt with 

 the desirability of initiating an anthropological survey 

 of the natives of Western Australia. In this State 

 the natives are under the control of Protectors of 

 .Aborigines, and are, for the most part, either located 

 on Government farms or stations, or, if employed by 

 private owners, the conditions of their employment are 

 strictly regulated by the Protectors. Notwithstanding 

 the measures taken for their well-being and preserva- 

 tion, which include a medical service and an organised 

 system of food-supply for times of scarcity, they are 

 dwindling in numbers. At the same time, in the 

 changed conditions, the memory of their tribal 

 customs and traditions is beinp lost. In the interests 

 of science it is, therefore, highly desirable that some 

 record should be made of their language, customs, 

 traditions, and beliefs, as well as of their physical 

 characters, before the older members of the tribes 

 die out. 



During the past summer, it will be remembered. 

 Gen. Smuts introduced into the South .African Parlia- 

 ment a Bill dealing with the native population. This 

 Bill has been described as embodying the most im- 

 portant proposals in reference to tlie native problem 

 since the Glen Grey .Act. Briefly stated, its main 

 provisions aim at improving the position of the native, 

 and at the same time meeting his claim to a voice in 

 the regulation of his own affairs by developing a 

 system of local government based upon the tribal 

 social organisation. .A further resolution of the .Asso- 

 ciation pointed out that anv attempt to bring the 

 nativ<e population into closer touch with the social 

 and economic development of the countrv as a whole 

 — the rruri.ll nroblem of native legislation in South 

 .Africa. — could hope to be successful onlv if if were 

 based ufx)n an intimate knowledt<e of native psyrho« 

 logy and customs, and to this end it urfed upon the 

 Government of the Union the necessity for the estab- 

 lishment of an Ethnological Bureau for the collection 

 of data and the study of native institutions. 



Relativity. 



DR. C. E. ST. JOHN gi\-es in the Oh%trvaiory 

 for July some remarks on the search for thie 

 Einstein effect in the solar spectrum which was made 

 last year by L. Grebe and .A. Barhcm at Bonn, and 

 alluded to with approbation in a letter from 

 Dr. Einstein, quoted in NuiRE for January 29 



