i8 



NATURE. 



[March i, 1917 



as the eastern Atlantic and the western Pacific is by 

 no means evidence of specific distinctness. The list 

 of synonyms of this whale — and indeed of most — is a 

 proof of the existence of an earlier opinion, promul- 

 g^ated by Dr. J. E. Gray and others of his time, that 

 whales were coped within much narrower boundaries 

 than we now think. To the solution of this question 

 Dr. Andrews has added a number of facts ; he has 

 dwelt upon the colour variability, which he declares 

 to be "enormous," and not at all influenced by age or 

 sex. He has furthermore made the important ob- 

 servation that parasites taken from whales killed near 

 Japan are at times infested with parasites represent- 

 ing an Antarctic species, which they must have 

 acquired during a soiourn in those southern seas. 

 The parasite in question is the Copepod, Penella 

 antarctica. 



A short time ago an alleged new sf>ecies of Ballaeno- 

 ptera admittedly near to B. borealis, and named B. 

 brydei, was described from the Cape region in 

 a paper published by the Zoological Society. Dr. 

 Andrews carefully considers this whale, and is dis- 

 inclined to believe in its distinctness, but considers 

 the matter incapable of settlement until more informa- 

 tion concerning structure is received ; but with this 

 possible exception, and that of B. edeni, it would 

 appear that all the alleged species allied to B. borealis 

 are to be regarded merely as synonyms. Dr. Schulte's 

 account of the foetus is full and elaborate. Kiiken- 

 thal and others have of late years dealt with the adult 

 and fcEtus of this and other Balaenopteras, and there- 

 fore there are not facts of very wide interest left over 

 to be recorded in the memoir. But nevertheless it is 

 valuable. esp>ecially for its detailed account of the 

 skull and musculature, which are illustrated by several 

 dates. F. E. Beddard. 



SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE. 



TN this country we are only just beginning to a\vake 

 -*• to the fact that museums have a great future 

 before them in the task of bringing home to the nation 

 the value and importance of scientific research. In 

 this we are a long way behind the United States, 

 which, through numerous channels, makes strenuous 

 efforts to enlist the interest and sympathy of the public 

 in all that concerns science and its imoortance as a 

 factor in civilisation and progress. In this the Amer- 

 ican Museum of Natural History has played, and is 

 playing, a very important part, not only an regard 

 to its exhibition galleries, but also by its efforts to 

 reach those who live outside its radius. Bv means of 

 the American Museum Journal, it gives to the world 

 at large, month bv month, a series of lucidly written 

 and skilfully chosen articles by members of its staff 

 and others of established reputation on the various 

 problems which are engaging the attention of 

 specialists. 



In the December number, which may be taken as 

 a fair averajje specimen, n.ine essavs are included, 

 covering a wfde range of subjects, thus ensuring- an 

 appeal to a large number of readers, as well as an 

 opportunity of arousing dormant interests. Dr. C. 

 Wiss.ler, of the anthropological department, discusses 

 American Indian saddles and the origin and adapta- 

 tions of horse-culture in the New World, while Dr. 

 W. D. Matthew writes on eleoharit-ivory and the 

 evolution of the elephant. The Gulf Stream and the 

 effect of ocean currents of different temperatures on 

 the life and range of marine animals, and the pheno- 

 mena of the mirage, rivet the attention on verv different 

 aspHects of Nature. The significance of the vivid hues 

 -which prevail amon^ tropical fishes introduces the 

 NO. 2470, VOL. 99] 



reader to the knotty problems which await solution in 

 regard to animal coloration, while the brief essay 

 on the life-histories of insects opens up yet another 

 vista. 



Finally, we may mention the very important article 

 on game protection by Mr. J. B. Burnham, the presi- 

 dent of the American Game Protection Association. 

 Herein the author shows the remarkable results which 

 have been obtained by State protection of hen pheasants 

 in New York State, and of the does of the Virginian 

 deer in Vermont. No more convincing vindication of 

 legislation framed for the protection and preservation 

 of native animals from the raids of " sportsmen. " was 

 ever penned than this. And there could be no more 

 suitable channel devised for the dissemination of the 

 results of this leg-islation than this always fascinating 

 journal, which, unfortunately, has no counterpart in 

 this country. 



We look forward to the time w;hen the British 

 Museum shall undertake a similar task for Great 

 Britain and our Empire beyond the Seas. The funds, 

 however, for the American journal, it should be re- 

 marked, are not provided by the State, but by the 

 generosity of those interested in the welfare of the 

 museum and the furtherance of its work. 



W. P. P. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Birmingham. — The Huxley lecture is to be delivered 

 by Prof. D'Arcy W. Thompson, who has chosen a 

 morphological subject entitled " Shells " for his address. 



Cambridge. — The Adams prize has been awarded to 

 Mr. J. H. Jeans, F.R.S., fcrmerlv fellow of Trinity, 

 for an essay on " Some Problems of Cosmogony and 

 Stellar Dynamics." 



London. — The degree of D.Sc. in chemistry has 

 been conferred on Mr. S. W. Smith, an external 

 student, for a thesis entitled " Surface Tension of 

 Molten Metals and its Relation to other Properties of 

 Metals and Alloys in the Solid State," and other 

 papers. 



The report of the Military Education Committee 

 has been presented to, the Senate. It states that 

 he number of cadets of the University of London 

 Officers' Training Corps who have obtained commis- 

 sions up to the end of 1916 was 3010, an increase of 

 about 750 over the corresponding number a year 

 earlier. The distinctions obtained by these officers 

 include: V.C., 2; D.S.O., 3; Military Cross, 131; 

 mentioned in despatches, 151 ; and represent more than 

 10 per cent, of those who have seen active service at 

 the Front. In the earlier days of the war 300 gradu- 

 ates and students of the University (not being cadets 

 or ex-cadets of the O.T.C.) obtained commissions on 

 the recommendation of the committee. In conse- 

 quence of the Military Service Act, the work of the 

 combatant units of the O.T.C. is now restricted to 

 the vounger men. The number of individual cadets 

 who were members of the contingent during the 

 training vear ending- September, 19 16, was 2077, of 

 whom 741 remained on the strength at the end of 

 the year. The Medical Unit, in which all medical 

 students permitted to continue their studies are en- 

 rolled, is at full strength. The Artillery Unit has 

 been temporarilv disbanded. The report refers also 

 to the Officers' School of Instruction in connection 

 with the contingent, through which iioo young 

 officers have passed; and to the assistance given by 

 the committee in connection with the enlistment of 

 trained chemists in the Royal Engineers. 



