Julv 31, 1919] 



NATURE 



425 



s that the spelling is American. "Sulfur dioxid " 

 looks strange in print. But teachers on this side 

 "f the Atlantic have much to learn from America 

 in the way of presenting science informally, and 

 hey may be willing to overlook these minor points. 

 Manual of Vegetable-garden Insects. By Cyrus 

 Richard Crosby and Mortimer Demarest 

 Leonard. Pp. xv + 391. (New York: The 

 Macmillan Co.; London: Macmillan and Co., 

 Ltd., 1918.) Price 125. 6d. net. 

 In this "Rural Manual" the authors give clear 

 and concise accounts of the insects which, in 

 North America, may be regarded as pests on 

 vegetables grown in gardens. Each chapter is, as 

 a rule, assigned to a particular species or group 

 of vegetables, but "cutworms " (l^octuid cater- 

 pillars), blister-beetles, and flea-beetles are treated 

 respectively in three special chapters, while 

 another chapter is devoted to "unclassified pests." 

 Most of the insects described are distinctively 

 American species, but some — such as the cabbage- 

 fly [Phorbia brassicae) — are common in British 

 and European gardens. It is interesting to notice 

 that in several cases an American insect attacks 

 a cultivated plant in a manner like that adopted 

 by an allied insect in Europe with the same plant; 

 for example, the caterpillars of Hydroecia (Papai- 

 pema) nitela and H. cataphracta bore potato-stems, 

 as those of H. micacea and H. ochracea do in these 

 countries, while the damage by the American 

 potato flea-beetle {Epitrix cucumeris) to foliage is 

 closely comparable with that of our Psylliodes 

 a f finis. 



The authors give a useful concluding chapter on 

 the structure of insects, with special reference to 

 their modes of feeding, this subject naturally lead- 

 ing to a consideration of insecticides. The book 

 is illustrated with a number of well-drawn figures 

 supplemented by photographs somewhat unequal 

 in execution. G. H. C. 



Fauna Brasiliense. Peixcs. Archivos do Museu 

 nacional do Rio de Janeiro, vol. xvii. (Rio 

 de Janeiro: Papelaria Macedo, 1915.) 

 The bulky volume under notice contains a 

 monograph, illustrated with excellent photographic 

 plates, of the physoclistous fishes of Brazil by 

 Prof. A. de Miranda Ribeiro, brought out in parts 

 from 1913 to 1915. It is well got up, but the 

 contents will be difficult to quote, as there is no 

 continuous pagination and the numerous plates are 

 not numbered. The classification and nomen- 

 clature are in accordance with the views of modern 

 American ichthyologists; it is, however, a matter 

 for regret that no sort of synonymy, not even a 

 reference to the original descriptions of the species, 

 should have been given, as by this omission the 

 value of the monograph is greatly impaired, 

 correlation v.iih standard works of older date being 

 thus rendered extremely difficult. 



It is well that attention should be directed to this 

 work, as only a part of it has been quoted in the 

 " Zoological Record," no mention of it, or of the 

 new species therein described, having appeared in 

 the Reports for 1914, 1915, or 1916. 

 NO. 2596, VOL. 103] 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for 

 opinions expressed by his correspondents. Neither 

 can he undertake to return, or to correspond with 

 the writers of, rejected manuscripts intended for 

 this or any other part of Nature. No notice is 

 taken of anonymous corrimunications.] 



Labour and Scientific Research. 



E.NCLOSED is a copy of a resolution which has just 

 been unanimously adopted by the American Federa- 

 tion of Labour at its Atlantic City convention. I trust 

 that you may consider this of suthcient interest to 

 the readers of Nature to warrant its publication. 



P. G. Agnew. 

 Scientific and Technical Branch, Federal 

 Employees' Union, No. 2, National 

 Federation of Federal Employees, 

 Washington, D.C., June 28. 



" Whereas scientific research and the technical 

 application of results of research form a fundamental 

 basis upon which the development of our industries, 

 manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and others, must 

 rest; and 



" Whereas the productivity of industry is greatly 

 increased by the technical application of the results 

 of scientific research in physics, chemistry, biology, 

 and geology, in engineering and agriculture, and in 

 the related sciences ; and the health and well-being 

 not only of the workers, but of the whole population 

 as well, are dependent upon advance in medicine and 

 sanitation ; so that the value of scientific advance- 

 ment to the welfare of the nation is many times 

 greater than the cost of the necessary research ; and 



'• Whereas the increased productivity of industry 

 resulting from scientific research i§ a most potent 

 factor in the ever-increasing struggle of the workers 

 to raise their standards of living, and the importance 

 of this factor must steadily increase, since there is a 

 limit beyond which the average standard of living of 

 the whole population cannot progress by the usual 

 methods of readjustment, which limit can only be 

 raised by research and the utilisation of the results 

 of research in industry ; and 



"Whereas there are numerous important and 

 pressing problems of administration and regulation 

 now faced by Federal, State, and local governments, 

 the wise solution of which depends upon scientific 

 and technical research ; and 



"Whereas the war has brought home to all the 

 nations engaged in it the overwhelming importance of 

 science and technology to national welfare, whether 

 in war or in peace, and not only is private initiative 

 attempting to organise far-reaching research in these 

 fields on a national scale, but in several countries 

 governmental participation and support of such under- 

 takings are already active ; therefore be it 



" Resolved, by the American Federation of Labour in 

 convention assembled, that a broad programme of 

 scientific and technical research is of major importance 

 to the national welfare, and should be fostered in every 

 way by the Federal Government, and that the activi- 

 ties of the Government itself in such research should 

 be adequately and generously supported in order that 

 the work may be greatly strengthened and extended ; 

 and the secretary of the Federation is instructed to 

 transmit copies of this resolution to the President of 

 the I'nited States, to the President pro tempore of the 

 Senate, and to the Speaker of the House of Repre- 

 sentatives." 



