September 6, 1906] 



NA TURE 



it should be obeyed. The view more generally taken was 

 that, since the civic control was becoming daily more vested 

 in the popular vote, it was desirable for the British 

 Association to emphasise the responsibility which rested 

 upon the public to acquaint themselves with matters con- 

 nected with the public health, and to put the most trust- 

 worthy information before them in the most open way. 



Amongst the more technical communications there were 

 two excellent ones by Drs. Nasmith and Graham, of 

 Toronto, on the haimalology of carbon monoxide poisoning, 

 and by Dr. Dawson Turner on the electrical resistance of 

 the tissues. Both communications were the result of much 

 laborious research ; their interest lay along the more strictly 

 medical line. Joseph Barcrokt. 



/.OCA/. SOCIET/ES AT THE /i/i/T/SH 

 ASSOCIAT/ON. 

 'PIUS conference was presided over by Sir Edward 

 Brabrook, C.B., who fitly represented those societies 

 which have recently been brought into relationship with 

 the British Association under the title of " Associated 

 Societies." These coinprise such local bodies as exist for 

 the encouragement of the study of science, but are not at 

 pnsent in a position to undertake and publish original 

 investigations. The chairman, in opening the proceedings, 

 dwelt on the useful work which these modest societies 

 might accomplish, and suggested various ways in which 

 local societies, whether belonging to the afilliated or to 

 the associated class, might aid those sections of the British 

 Association in which he was specially interested, namely, 

 the sections of anthropology, economics, and educational 

 science. 



Dr. H. R. Mill delivered an address on local societies 

 and meteorology, in which he commended the study of this 

 science as peculiarly suitable for cultivation by the corre- 

 sponding societies. Local climate can be determined only 

 by a long, continuous record of local observations ; and this 

 continuity, so difficult to maintain by private observers, 

 caa be readily secured by a local society, which by its nature 

 is, or should be, immortal. Sunshine and rainfall are two 

 elements of climate which still need much further study- 

 A vast body of meteorological observations in the past 

 has been absolutely useless either because the instruments 

 used were not trustworthy or the hours of observation 

 were irregular ; whilst in many cases the observ- 

 ations, otherwise of value, have lost their usefulness 

 through not having been dealt with by competent authori- 

 ties. In the course of a discussion, Mr. E. Kitto, the 

 superintendent of the Falmouth Observatory, referred to 

 tile special value of the magnetic records regularly issued 

 from his station. Dr. J. R. Ashworth, of Rochdale, pleaded 

 for a meteorological survey of the British Islands — a work 

 in which the local societies might obviously render material 

 assistance. 



The second meeting was presided over by Mr. J. 

 llopkinson, vice-chairman of the conference, who in his 

 introductory remarks pointed out the great value of photo- 

 graphic surveys of counties. This subject was elaborately 

 iri'ated by Mr. VV. Jerome Harrison, of Birmingham, in 

 a communication on the desirability of promoting county 

 photographic surveys. The paper gave a history of the 

 uKn-ement, which was practically initiated by the author, 

 and has spread from Warwickshire, where it was started, 

 to several other counties, including Worcestershire, Essex, 

 Surrey, and Kent. Mr. Harrison suggested that a com- 

 mittee should be formed to coordinate the photographic 

 societies with the literary and scientific societies, so that 

 all should join in the work of the surveys. The subject 

 w.is warmly taken up by the delegates, and it was deter- 

 mined to apply, at next year's meeting, for the appointment 

 (if a county photo-survey committee. The Rev. Ashington 

 Bullen suggested that at every meeting of the British 

 .Association there should be a photographic exhibition illus- 

 tr.iting the archeology, ethnology, and natural history of 

 the particular county in which the meeting was held. 

 Prof. H. H. Turner referred to the value of pairs of photo- 

 gr.'iphs on the stereoscopic plan, inasmuch as thev enabled 

 the distances between various objects represented on them 



NO. 1923, VOL. 74] 



to be ascertained by calculation. In the course of the dis- 

 cussion much approval was expressed of the work of those 

 committees of the British Association which dealt with 

 photography as applied to geology, anthropology, and 

 botany. 



A 



THE BOMBAY LOCUST.' 

 NOTHER new venture among Indian memoirs has 

 lately been issued, and if subsequent numbers are 

 like this first instalment they will prove of great value. Mr. 

 Maxwell-Lefroy deals in this first issue with the Bombay 

 locust : we prefer to call it by its popular name, for its 

 scientific one seems in doubt. Specimens were sent by Mr. 

 Lefroy, and have been named at the British Museum by 

 Mr. Kirby as Acridium riibesccns. Walker, which is 

 apparently quite correct ; but we learn from this report 

 that Mr. de Saussure assigns the Bombay locust to 

 Linnaeus's species Acridium succinctum. In this report 

 the latter name is chosen as probably being most accurate, 

 but it is extremely doubtful if Mr. Lefroy has made the 

 right choice. It is best, therefore, as " doctors disagree," 

 to call this pest simply the Bombay locust. 



The work comprises 109 pages of letterpress and thirteen 

 plates, the latter being an improvement on the majority 

 we see from India. The report deals with investigations 

 made in 1903-4, and contains an amount of useful inform- 

 ation concerning " locust swarms." 



Part i. is devoted to the subject of the formation and 

 rhovements of locust swarms. In it the author shows and 

 explains how a swarm arises, how from grasses in which 

 they were concealed they entered the crops and " gradually 

 formed into swarms and moved over the country-side." 

 Then these definite bodies of locusts could be traced from 

 village to village. Later they were shown to move in 

 definite directions, migrating at nights, when their wings 

 were constantly and suddenly seen glistening against the 

 moon as they flew by, and as suddenly they vanished. 



These swarms settled in the forest regions at last during 

 November and December, and then in March and April a 

 second or outward migration was traced. After the out- 

 ward migration the swarms were shown to break up, and 

 only scattered locusts could be found. A vast area of land 

 thus became infested with them, but little or no damagp 

 was done, for " the locusts had apparently lost the swarm- 

 ing and migrating instinct." Reproduction then set in. 



The summary given is as follows : — ■ 



Winded locusts emerged and entered crcps ... Oct. i — 20. 

 ,, ,, migrated " 



lined in foresi 



Pe 



-Ma 



-May : 



J" 



-Ju 



-Aug. 



scattered 



,. ,, reproduced and died 



In part ii. Mr. Lefroy deals with the life-history of this 

 locust, giving an account of the egg-laying, hatching, 

 development, and the description of the " hoppers " after 

 each moult. 



In part iii. are related the habits of locusts and methods 

 employed for their destruction. The first is dealt with in 

 a clear and interesting manner, and is well worth the study 

 of anyone engaged in locust work. 



The rewards given for collecting this pest and its eggs 

 varied, but during cold weather winged locusts were paid 

 for at the rate of J to J anna per seer (2 lb.), and this 

 pay was sufficient to give a fair wage to an active man. 

 Later 4 annas were paid per seer, a seer containing 400 

 to 450 locusts. Amongst natural enemies mentioned we 

 notice monkeys, the striped squirrel and the grey-necked 

 crow, and several insects. No doubt these all do some 

 good, but to rely on them to prevent locust swarms is 

 futile. Amongst methods of destroying these noxious 

 insects is the employment of poisoned baits. Experiments 

 recorded here show that a weak solution of arsenate of 

 lead proved better than a strong solution of sodium 

 arsenate or the well-known Natal locust mixture. More 

 than So per cent, of the locusts were killed when fodder 

 baits were sprayed with i lb. of lead arsenate, and 5 lb. of 

 jaggery, to 100 gallons of water, in twelve hours. For 



I "Mem 

 By H. Ma 



i of the Departme 

 !ll-Lefroy. (Calc 



i Indi: 



Vol. 



