February io, 192 i] 



NATURE 



763 



natural reservoir of the trypanosome, is pro- 

 nounced by Dr. Carpenter to be impracticable. 



His descriptions of the sights and sounds of 

 the lake and its islands give a lively idea of the 

 interest of the naturalist's surroundings. "The 

 lolouration." he says, "in the bright sunlight 

 during one of the clear days charac- 

 teristic of the heavy rains is realh 

 wonderful in its brilliancy. From 

 liigh ground one looks over the top 

 of vividly green forest towards dis- 

 tant purple islands set in a sparkling 

 deep blue lake, which is stirred into 

 white-capped waves by the prevail- 

 ing south-east breeze. So clear is 

 the atmosphere at this time, especi- 

 ;illy in the evenings, that from 

 Hugalla Island some of the indivi- 

 dual houses at Kntebbe, on the main- 

 land, twenty-five miles away, could 

 he distinguished with the naked 

 ••ye." 



Some of the voices of the night are 

 thus described : " The thunderous 

 -nortings of hippos, the muffled bark 

 'f the Situtunga, break in upon the 

 'intinuous shrill tinkling sound, 

 uriously suggesting sleigh bells, 

 produced by thousands of small 

 frogs along the shore. Crickets 

 1 hirp all round and in the house, and 

 liurint' the rains one enormous species, sitting 

 just inside the mouth of its burrow, makes the 

 earth resound with a continuous high-pitched 

 buzzing. " 



The last si-vcii <li.i[)t(Ts (if till- hdok contain a 



mass of valuable observations on the fauna, espe- 

 cially of the group of islands south of Entebbe, 

 and of the Sesse archipelago in the north-west 

 portion of the lake. The chapters on the insect 

 life are of especial interest, more particularly the 

 minute account of the wonderful mimic, Pseud- 



Kio. 3.— The 



ised beach of Nganiba cleared of veRemtioti up to ihe edge of the foresi 

 behind. Krom " A Nalumli-t on Lake Victoria." 



acraca eurytus, in relation to which Dr. Car- 

 penter's criticism of the mutation theory will be 

 read with interest. The book is well illustrated 

 by photographic views and other plates, which arc 

 excellently reproduced. F. A. D. 



Industrial Research Associations. 

 I. \.- British Boot, Shoe, a\o .Ai.i.iud Trades Research Association. 



By John Bi.akeman. 



DlKINtj the year igi8 a few prominent 

 Northampton business men felt that it 

 would be advantageous to encourage scientific 

 research in connection with the boot, shoe, and 

 leather industries. The Northampton Boot 

 .Manufacturers' .As.sociation was approached and 

 promised support, as also did the more prominent 

 leather manufacturers; but at first it was intended 

 that only a local research scheme should be set 

 on foot, conducted jointly by the Northampton 

 boot, shoe, and leather manufacturers. The 

 Research Department was asked for advice, 

 find the secretary, Sir Frank Heath, having at- 

 • nded a <x>nfercnce at Northampton on Septem- 

 ir 24, iqi8, urged strongly that a British Re- 

 earch Association for the Ixjot and shoe industry 

 liould be establishetl which should In* national 

 '1 its scope, an«l shoidd work in co-operation 

 . ith the (fovernment Department. It was also 

 !rcided that a separate association shouki be 

 ormcd for leather manufacture, but that the Boot 

 xo 2Ctjf>. vni . inft] 



and Shoe Research Association should invite 

 leather manufacturers to membership, as they 

 would have many problems in common. 



The Northampton Boot Manufacturers' .Asso- 

 ciation promised an annual subscription of 375'- 

 for five years, which has been raised by a levy of 

 jd. each on the average number of employees, 

 while the minimum subscription for any firm is 

 three guineas per annum. The council of the 

 Research .Association has undertaken that the 

 total contributions from members shall be not less 

 than 500/. per annum for five years, and the Re- 

 search Department will then contribute a sum 

 equal to that contributed by members up to a 

 limit of isoo/. per annum. 



The association began in Northampton as a 

 local effort, and its organisation has consequently 

 centred round the Northampton Technical School. 

 The Work that has been accomplished so far has 

 been made possible only by having the equipment 

 and staff of the technical school available. The 



