July 15, 1920] 



NATURE 



62 



Dr. Seymour Hadwen has resigned his position as 

 Chief Pathologist in charge of the Biological Labora- 

 tory, Health of Animals Branch, Canadian Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada, and become 

 Chief Pathologist in the Reindeer Investigations of 

 the Bureau of Biological Survey, U.S. Department 

 of Agriculture. 



We are informed by the Department of Scientific 

 and Industrial Research that the Research Association 

 for the cutlery industry has been approved by the 

 Department as complying with the conditions laid 

 down in the Government scheme for the encourage- 

 ment of industrial research. The secretary of the 

 Committee engaged in the establishment of this as'so- 

 ciation is Mr. W. H. Bolton, P.O. Box 49, Sheffield. 



The Royal Statistical Society has opened a register 

 of the names of persons eligible for statistical posts. 

 It has from time to time been asked to recommend 

 qualified statisticians, and has taken this means of 

 bringing those who have appointments to offer into 

 touch with suitable applicants. A list of names and 

 qualifications is now available, and the secretary 

 (9 Adelphi Terrace, W.C.2) will be glad to furnish 

 information accordingly. 



We learn from Science that Prof. L. H. Bailey is 

 reorganising the American Pomological Society, of 

 which he is president, and establishing junior branches 

 in a number of agricultural colleges in the United 

 States and Canada. It is proposed under the new 

 scheme that the society shall give consideration to 

 such national affairs as touch the growing of fruits, 

 e.g. legislation, quarantine, export, transportation, 

 and standardising methods. 



Capt. W. J. Rutherford has reprinted from "The 

 History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club " 

 (vol. xxiv.) a paper on "A Border Myth: The Stand- 

 ing Stones at Duddo. " The local folklore accounts 

 for their origin by supposing that the stones are the 

 petrified bodies of a gang of field-workers who pro- 

 faned the Sabbath by going into a field singing and 

 thinning a crop of turnips, while the leader was 

 thrown on his back and lies prostrate to this day. 

 Capt. Rutherford compares the legend with that 

 attached to the "Maidens" or "Merry Maidens" and 

 the " Hurlers " in Cornwall. The story is not un- 

 common, and it would not be difficult to quote other 

 parallels. 



The report of the Felsted School Scientific Society 

 for 1918- and 1919 is welcome evidence of the place 

 given to scientific pursuits in an up-to-date school. 

 The natural history notes, which predominate, reach 

 a high standard and contain many interesting observ'a- 

 tions on the local appearance and movements of 

 migratory birds, while the photographs which have 

 been selected for reproduction say much for the skill 

 and patience of the young naturalists. The report 

 shows how greatly the progress of a school society 

 depends upon the guidance of an enthusiastic master. 

 It is gratifying to see from the balance-sheet that 

 the governors, by a generous contribution to the 

 funds of the society, Give evidence of their belief in 

 the value of Nature-study, and their faith is well 

 NO. 2646, VOL. 105] 



founded, for the recording of detailed observations, 

 whether of rainfall or temperature or migration, is 

 a sowing of the seeds of the scientific habit and the 

 love of truth. 



Under the title "The Birds of Eastern Canada," 

 the Canadian Department of Mines has issued a 

 memoir — No. 3 of its Biological Series — by P. A. 

 Tavener. This has been written "to awaken and, 

 where it already exists, to stimulate an interest, both 

 aesthetic and practical, in the study of Canadian birds 

 and to suggest the sentimental, scientific, and 

 economic valuei of that study; to assist in the identi- 

 fication of native species; and to furnish the econo- 

 mist with a ready means of determining bird friend 

 from bird foe . . . ; to present in a readily accessible 

 form reliable data upon ^vhich measures of protective 

 legislation may be based ; to point out some of the 

 pitfalls that have caught the inexperienced in the past ; 

 and to suggest methods for their future avoidance." 

 To accomplish these desirable ends, the memoir 

 treats of all the species with which the ordinary ob- 

 server is likely to meet "between the Atlantic coast 

 and the Prairies north of the International Boundary." 

 It is prefaced by some general remarks on classification, 

 geographical distribution, migration, and protection, 

 and by an illustrated key to the characters of the 

 groups to which the various species belong. The main 

 portion of the work deals, with 766 selected birds, and 

 shortly describes their plumage, haunts, nesting, 

 economic status, and distribution in Eastern Canada : 

 many of them are depicted in the series of coloured 

 plates which forms the concluding portion of this 

 useful memoir. 



In the interests of commerce itself it is becoming 

 increasingly plain that where the exploitation of wild 

 animals is concerned men of science, and not the 

 captains of industry, must determine the levy v/hich 

 any given species can stand without endangering its 

 safety. The urgent need for the speedy recognition 

 of this fact is very emphatically shown in a series of 

 able essays published in the form of a bulletin by 

 the Scripps Institution for Biological Research of the 

 University of California (No. 9). Where all are of 

 such surpassing excellence it is difficult to select any 

 one of these essays for special mention. But since a 

 choice must be made, it shall fall upon that of Dr. 

 Evermann, who surveys the present position of the 

 Northern fur-seal. He throws a lurid light on the 

 attitude of the non-scientific legislator. Even Depart- 

 ments of State, he shows, for the sake of present 

 revenue, will adopt covertly hostile methods to sup- 

 press the findings of scientific men appointed for the 

 express purpose of investigating the conditions of the 

 sealing industry, if such findings seem to threaten 

 the earnings of that industry. The fact that, unless 

 wise methods of conservation are adopted, the industry 

 will presently extinguish itself seems entirely to be 

 lost sight of in the desire to secure immediate 

 revenue. "Take the cash in hand and waive the 

 rest " seems to be the motto pursued. Those in- 

 terested in the salmon fisheries contend that the seals 

 eat vast quantities of these fish, and are therefore 

 injurious to the fishing interests. Yet no attempt has so 

 far been made to discover what fish really constitutes 



