NATURE 



[November 28, 1918 



the most distant coral islands of the [ndo-Pacific 

 with but few additions from neighbouring con- 

 tinental shores. The same is true also of sea and 

 shore birds, but neighbouring lands give many 

 visitors, which quickly learn to eat what man culti- 

 vates. A photograph of a baby nightjar in dead 

 leaves is excellent, and, indeed, requires its ex- 

 planatory diagram to point out the bird. We like 

 the idea of a conchological (not floral) almanac, for 

 we have ourselves noticed in the tropics tin- regu- 

 larity of the approach to the shores, the coming 

 up from the deep, of many Trochi, etc., almost 

 as regular as the "balolo" worm obeys the call 

 of an especial phase of tin- moon at the same 

 season of every year. In "Snake and Frog 

 Prattle" tlie author as naturalist is at his best. 

 His true character as a man is perhaps shown in 



IGRICl l.l l AM/. RESE I AT// IN 

 AUSTRALIA. 



WITH the growing demand for intensified agri- 

 cultural production occasioned by the war 

 has come the realisation of the inadequacy of the 

 existing provision for agricultural research in all 

 parts of the world. The movement towards more 

 generous and systematic provision is by no means 

 confined to the older, more highly cultivated 

 countries, but is perhaps even more active in those 

 more distant parts ol the globe where increased 

 production on a large scale by extensive methods 

 is still possible, hew countries, indeed, have set 

 about this particular task of reconstruction more 

 systematically and energetically than the Com- 

 monwealth of Australia, the prosperity of which 



lime's Finger," a simple, eloquent account of 

 a solitary climb into the "debil-debil " land where 

 his "boy" dare not come; it is a story of adven- 

 ture in which the author nearly lost his life, and 

 il gives also a remarkable picture of how tropical 

 jungle manages to conquer even perpendicular 

 granite slopes. The domination of multi-rooted 

 trees, banyans (fig trees), mangroves, and screw- 

 pines (Pandani) is typii il of tropical moist jungles. 



For the ethnologist there are a few stories of 

 natives, and we particularly commend to those 

 who dwell at home the psychology of "Casso- 

 wary " and "Soosie " as typical, the produce "of 

 the very land on whi( h born." " Blacks 



as Fishermen " is interesting rather as .< stud) of 

 fai is. I. s. G. 



NO. 2561, VOL. I02] 



is so closely bound up with the fortunes of her 

 great agricultural industry. 



For three decades or more Australian agricul- 

 ture has had the advantage of liberal provision for 

 agricultural education and research under the aegis 

 of the various Slate Departments of Agriculture. 

 These Departments have not only established 

 agricultural colleges with associated experimental 

 farms, but other farms and laboratories for 

 general experimental work have also been 

 developed, as well as centres for the specialised 

 mvsstij iti:.n of difier.ni branches of agriculture, 

 such as viticulture, dairying, sugar production, 

 and irrigation. 



Most of the experimental farms are of great 

 si/e. and admirabb equipped lor field experimi 



