88 Notes and Comments. 
THE AMBER, TRADE. 
According to The Mining Journal, the war is likely to 
have a serious effect on the amber trade, as the great bulk of 
supplies is derived from the deposits in the neighbourhood 
of Dantzig and K6nigsberg. The production from the Royal 
Amber mines in 1913 amounted to 427 metric tons, as compared 
with 400 tons in 1912. There is an increasing demand for 
raw material to the extent of 20 per cent., so much so that the 
price was advanced by the State factory at the beginning of 
1914. In addition to the ordinary requirement for Europe 
and America, a good trade is done in amber beads for Asia 
and Africa. Some amber is found on the Baltic coast, in 
Russian territory, in the neighbourhood of Libau, and its. 
occurrence has been noticed in various places in Siberia.* 
THE STRIATION OF FLINT SURFACES. 
In Man, volume 14, part 11, Mr. J. Reid Moir, who is a 
prolific writer on the subject, has an article on ‘ The Striation 
of Flint Surfaces.’ In this he states: ‘ If, as I think it seems. 
reasonable, the thin plates of shattered flint would weather out 
in 500 years, then these particular stones, at any rate, must 
have been scratched since the fifteenth century, and as we know 
that this country has not been glaciated since that date, 
ice action is accordingly put out of the question. I do not 
wish at this stage of my researches to put forward any definite 
views as to the means by which these various stones have been 
striated, but with these facts before us, and bearing in mind 
that steel will scratch flints, I consider it needful to go forward 
very carefully in this matter, and to realise that while moving 
ice, with stones in its grip, has no doubt scratched some flints: 
found in some deposits, yet certain others found upon the 
surface of the ground must owe their striz to some ordinary 
every day occurrence—possibly connected with agricultural 
operations.’ 
PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS’ NESTS. 
In The Animal World, a magazine which is printed in the 
interests of animals, we notice that in an article by Mr. Stanley 
Crook on ‘ A British Diamond,’ which is illustrated by photo- 
graphs of Kingfishers and their nests, he states, ‘I saw the bird 
fly out and carefully enlarged the hole until I was just able to: 
reach the nesting chamber, and ascertained that the nest 
contained one egg. I did not visit it again for nearly a month, 
when I hoped to find nestlings, but my disappointment was great 
when J found there were still eggs in the nest and that they were 
_stone cold. As I thought this was too good an opportunity 
* See The Quarry for February. 
Naturalist, 
