344 



NA TURE 



[August 13, 1908 



well as keepers on the large majority of the more important 

 moors constantly on the look-out for it." 



In his own portion of the report Mr. ^^'ilson ob- 

 serves that a condition similar to that supposed to 

 be diagnostic of the acute form of the disease may 

 be found in ahnost any grouse picked up dead upon 

 the moors. Prof. Klein described and figured pre- 

 parations of the lungs of grouse supposed to have i 

 died from the acute phase of the disease, in which 

 the vessels are absolutely plugged by bacteria. 



" Without doubt," writes Mr. Wilson, the observer 

 " finds in his microscopic sections of similar lungs similar 

 conditions, presumably of similar disease. But to the 

 experienced bacteriologist a doubt occurs whether these 

 plugs of bacteria in the vessels of the lung should not be 

 considered post-mortem instead of ante-mortem produc- 

 tions ; the result of post-mortem changes allied to decom- 

 position, rather than to pathological changes due to disease j 

 in life. Following this comes another doubt, whether the 

 more gross appearances of disease in the lungs on dis- 

 section are not really due to post-mortem changes rather 

 than to disease in life. And upon examination of pre- 

 sumably healthy birds after a lesser or greater prolongation 

 of post-mortem putrefaction and delay, suspiciously similar 

 appearances in the lungs are certainly observed." 



Again, experiment has shown that in a healthy 

 pigeon killed by chloroform the appearances to the 

 naked eye supposed to be characteristic of the acute 

 grouse-disease make themselves noticeable in the lungs 

 after a period sufficient to permit the development of 

 post-mortem changes. 



Reading between the lines, it seems to us apparent 

 that the experts of the committee are very sceptical 

 whether, in the first place, the acute phase of the 

 disease really exists, and, in the second, if it be 

 existent, whether it is of a pneumonic character. They 

 do not, however, apparently " like to bet till they 

 know." 



To revert to the chronic phase, its place of origin 

 and mode of dispersal are points to which special 

 attention has been directed by the committee, but con- 

 siderable difficulties have been experienced in these 

 respects owing to the very natural reluctance of 

 owners and keepers to report the occurrence of disease 

 unless it is widely spread in their district. 



One fact the committee considers to have been indis- 

 putablv established, namely, the intimate connection 

 existing between the food-supply and the health of the 

 grouse, or, in other words, the fact that the capacity 

 of the birds to resist the attacks of the intestinal 

 worms depends mainly upon their physical condition 

 and general fitness. Owners and keepers have for 

 vears been convinced of cycles of maximum and mini- 

 mum development of grouse-disease. Records from 

 various estates extending over a period of more than 

 half a century indicate that the cycle comprises a 

 good vear, a very good year, the record year, the bad 

 year, the recovery year, the average, and the good 

 average year. 



A regular sequence of events, culminating in an 

 over-stock, a consequent shortage of food, the appear- 

 ance of disease, and a sweeping of the moor, occurs 

 in the rare cases where disease follows a bad year. 

 Examination will, however, often show either that in 

 such cases the efTect of a previous outbreak had not 

 passed away, or that exceptional conditions had re- 

 duced the food-yield of the moor to less than usual. 

 .\gain, the exceptional occurrence of several consecu- 

 tive good years mav be attributed to a better heather- 

 cro]), through improved management, or to open 

 winters or earlv springs which have allowed a larger 

 stock of birds to be maintained. 



The theory that disease is due to the consumption 

 of frosted-heather is refuted by the fact that heather 



XO. 2024, VOL. 78] 



in this condition is never eaten by grouse. Investiga- 

 tion has shown that grouse have to do all they know 

 in the wav of eating in order to maintain themselves 

 in condition, especially in winter and spring; conse- 

 quently anv food-shortage at the two latter seasons 

 is bound to result in ill-effects. Further, it has been 

 observed that the mortality among hen-birds is most 

 noticeable in late summer, perhaps induced by 

 shortage of food during the nesting-season. 



As regards remedial measures, nothing really de- 

 finite can be suggested until much deeper investigation 

 has been made into the life-history of the grouse 

 thread-worm — investigations to which Mr. Shipley 

 is devoting his best attention. 



As contributorv measures to the checking of the 

 disease, attention is, however, directed to the import- 

 ance of proper estate-management, in the matter of 

 heather-burning, the supply of grit of proper quality 

 for the birds to eat, the dr.aining of the ground, and 

 last, but not least, the killing off of weakly birds 

 — " cheapers " — which cannot but give rise to a poor 

 and ill-nourished progeny. 



In conclusion, we desire to offer to the committee 

 and the experts bv whom they are assisted, our con- 

 gratulations as to the admirable and exhaustive 

 manner in which this very difficult inquiry and in- 

 vestigation has thus far been conducted. 



R. L. 



THE INTERNATIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL 

 CONGRESS AT GENEVA. 



''pHE ninth International Geographical Congress 

 J- was opened at Geneva on July 27, and the busi- 

 ness portion of the proceedings came to an end on 

 August 6. It is only possible here to give a brief 

 sketch of the subjects discussed and resolutions 

 adopted. 



.\s regards the general intention and meaning of 

 the congress, it mav be assumed that that somewhat 

 vague word geography is usually taken to denote 

 a group of studies connected with the influence of 

 the surface features of the earth on the human 

 race. But, if the proceedings of the congress may 

 be taken as a guide, this aspect of geography has 

 no very full recognition. By far the most prominent 

 discussions and papers were those dealing with 

 m.athematical geography, cartography and allied 

 subjects, and those treating of physical geography. 

 The Latter subject was chiefly in the hands of the 

 geologists; indeed, it is hard to imagine anyone 

 but a geologist doing useful work in this field. It 

 might almost be said that geography, in the opinion 

 of the average geographer, as deduced from the pro- 

 ceedings of the International Congress, is mainly 

 the concern of surveyors and geologists. Geography 

 in this sense is earth-knowledge; its chief function 

 is to determine and explain the shape of the earth, 

 the positions, forms, and characters of its surface 

 features, and, so far as may be. to predict future 

 surface changes. 



Of the 232 papers of which the programme was 

 composed, 124 dealt with physical geography, survey, 

 exploration, and kindred subjects; 11 with rules and 

 nomenclature; 14 with the teaching of geography. 

 Meteorology accounted for 15. biology for 10. an- 

 thropology for 14. historical geography for 15, and 

 economic and social geography for 2(1. The sectional 

 meetings in some of the last-mentioned subjects were 

 not well attended. 



.'\t the opening session a paper of considerable his- 

 torical interest, entitled the " Circumnavigation of 

 Africa under Necho II.." was read bv M. .\. Moret. 



