September 22, 1892J 



NATURE 



495 



there were not 500 members at the Rochester meeting of the 

 American Association, and of this number New York State 

 contributed far more than its quota. In proportion to its popu- 

 lation, Ohio sent twice as many members as Pennsylvania, 

 although its average distance from Rochester is greater. More- 

 over, the several branches of science are not equally represented. 

 Mechanical and engineering science, which is developing in the 

 country by leaps and bounds, sends to the Association only one- 

 fourth as many members as chemistry, and one-eighth as many 

 as biology. The physical sciences, Mr. Kent says, are "dwarfed 

 by the natural sciences." This he attributes to the fact that 

 those who devote themselves to applied science have so many 

 societies of their own that they are diverted from and lose their 

 interest in the American Association. In engineering there are 

 four large national societies, the civil, the mechanical, the mining, 

 and the electrical, besides numerous local societies, aggregating 

 a membership of probibly 5000 persons, not counting 

 duplications of those who belong to two or more societies. 



A MOVEMENT has been started in Melbourne for the pass- 

 ing of a law which may tend to prevent the wanton de- 

 struction of birds in Victoria. A deputation, organized by 

 the Victoria Field Naturalists' Club and representing the 

 Melbourne Royal Society, Royal Agricultural Society* 

 Royal Horticultural Society, and Zoological and Acclimatiza- 

 tion Society lately brought the subject under the notice of the 

 Ministers of Customs. In introducing the deputation, Messrs. 

 G. D. Carter and J. Bosisto dwelt upon the necessity of pro- 

 tecting insectivorous birds from the reckless and indiscriminate 

 shooting which is now so prevalent, as well as human lives, 

 which are frequently sacrificed to the inexperience of sports, 

 men. The imposition of a gun tax as a legitimate source of 

 revenue was also suggested. Prof. Kernot (Royal Society), 

 Mr. C. M. Officer (Zoological Society), and Mr. C. Draper 

 (Royal Agricultural Society) also emphasized these views. Mr. 

 F. Wisewould referred to the draft which had been drawn up 

 by the sub-committee of the Field Naturalists' Club — a draft 

 based upon similar Acts in England and some of the Australian 

 colonies. A few new features had, however, been added, 

 notably that which made it illegal for persons under the influence 

 of liquor to carry firearms. It was also provided that under no 

 circumstances should a licence be given for the use of swivel 

 guns. In answer to the deputation the Minister said that he 

 would take the draft bill which had been prepared into favour- 

 able consideration. He would have an amended draft drawn up 

 and submitted to those interested before its introduction into 

 Parliament. He was of opinion that a 5^. tax, as proposed, was 

 not heavy enough, since it would be worth the while of those 

 who let out guns to pay the tax themselves. 



The serum of blood used to be regarded as merely a nutritive 

 liquid ; but it has been found to play a more important part, 

 being capable of killing disease -germs, and of destroying and 

 dissolving the red blood corpuscles of other animals. These 

 properties have been recently studied by Herr Buchner 

 {Miinchener Med. Wochenschrifi). They are gradually lost when 

 the liquid has been removed from the animal. They are also 

 destroyed by heating half-an-hour to 52° to 55° C. (A dog's 

 serum stops the amcEba-like movements of white-corpuscles of 

 another animal species without killing them ; but this property 

 is also lost by heating to 55°.) Light also stops both actions ; 

 and diffuse daylight more than direct sunlight. It is apparently 

 albumens in the serum that are operative ; but whether all the 

 albuminoid constituents, or certain specific albumens, was not 

 determined. It is remarkable that solution of the serum with a 

 07 per cent, solution of common salt does not spoil the action, 

 whereas a similar dilution with pure water makes the serum 

 nearly inactive. But serum thus made inactive with water rc- 

 NO. II 95, VOL. 46] 



covers its properties if salt solution is added ; and this is the 

 case even when the serum has been kept in the active state for 

 four to 24 hours in ice. Serum may also receive a 07 per cent, 

 solution of potassium or lithium chloride, or various other salts 

 of the fixed alkalis, without losing its germicide properties. 

 Ammonium salts even stimulate the latter. Herr Buchner calls 

 the albumens in question alexines (or protective matters) ; he 

 supposes they have a like action on foreign cells generally. The 

 serum of dogs and rabbits having been mixed, the power of 

 both alexines was weakened, but those of the rabbit more than 

 those of the dog (to typhus bacilli) . After acting some time on 

 each other the globulicide power was quite extinguished. The 

 author finds in these facts an explanation of the antitoxical 

 action of the serum of animals protected against disease. 



According to the Revista Financiera Mexicana, quoted in 

 the current number of the Board of Trade Journal, a deposit of 

 onyx of considerable importance has just been discovered in 

 Mexico, about 50 kilometres south of El Paso. It is said to be 

 of superior quality, with fine grain, and richly shaded with 

 delicate and varied tints. Blocks of considerable dimensions can 

 be easily extracted. 



Dr. Morris Gibbs writes to Science from Kalamazoo, 

 Michigan, that in that State there are to his knowledge six 

 species of birds which feed on acorns. Of these, the passenger- 

 pigeon and mourning-dove swallow the acorn entire, with its 

 shell intact, only removing the cup or rough outside covering. 

 The white-bellied nut-hatch occasionally hoards the acorns 

 away, and only draws on its store after some months, and when 

 the firm shelly covering readily gives way to its sharp, prying 

 bill. The other three are the well-known blue-jay, common 

 crow-blackbird, and red-headed woodpecker. So far as he has 

 been able to learn, these birds, except in rare instances, do not 

 pick the acorns from the tree, but have to content themselves 

 with the fallen fruit. The red-head, deigning to descend to 

 the ground, seizes an acorn, and flying with it in its bill to a 

 spot where there is a small cavity in the dead portion of a 

 trunk, or to a crevice in the bark, immediately begins to 

 hammer it with its sharp-pointed bill. In a couple of strokes, 

 it has removed the outer shell or cup, and at once attacks 

 the still green-coloured shell which directly surrounds the 

 meat. The inside, or shell proper, quickly gives way, usually 

 nearly in halves, and the woodpecker enjoys the kernel. The 

 woodpeckers are as nearly strict insect-feeders as any birds 

 in Michigan, unless an exception is made of the swifts and 

 swallows, yet here is an instance of a varied diet. However, 

 the red-head is quickly satisfied in the acorn line, and soon 

 begins circling the trunk, or more often limbs, for his legiti- 

 mate food. The blackbird confines himself to the ground in 

 his efiforts for acorn meats. Walking up sedately to an acorn, 

 and making no effort to seize or confine it, it strikes savagely 

 and almost aimlessly. Its bill frequently glances, and the splin- 

 tered shell dances about, until at last a huge piece of the kernel is 

 dragged out, after which the bird leaves for other quarters or 

 begins on another acorn. The jay swoops down with flaunt- 

 ing blue wings, and, seizing the largest acorn on the ground, 

 flies to the nearest convenient limb or to the decayed ridge- 

 board of an adjacent building. There, firmly pressing the 

 nut between his big, black feet, he hammers away with a 

 vengeance, and quickly tears off nearly half of the shell, 

 after which he proceeds to pick out the meat in small bits. 

 The cup is often left nearly perfect, the jay never making 

 an effort to secure the nut entire, which he could easily do. 

 Walking under the oaks, one can readily tell whether the 

 woodpeckers, blackbirds, or jays have been at work among 

 the acorns, by the appearance of the mutilated shell-remains 

 lying about. 



