Mat 6, 1921] 



SCIENCE 



431 



Dorsey, Minnesota, wlio emphasized the close 

 relationship of genetic investigations on ap- 

 plied problems with other sciences, coopera- 

 tion being particularly necessary to secure the 

 greatest results. All who entered the dis- 

 cussion of this topic thought that cooperation 

 should not go on so far as to attempt to 

 direct another's research and that the success 

 of any cooperation of this kind is limited by 

 the mutual confidence of the workers. 



At the close of the meeting it was agreed 

 that no permanent organization should be 

 formed but that informal meetings such as 

 this should be arranged for whenever de- 

 sirable. Professor L. J. Cole, who was elected 

 chairman of the meeting, was voted to act as 

 secretary ad interim. D. F. Jones, 



Secretary pro tern. 



NATIONAL PARKSi 



While a small number of scientific societies 

 were represented, the conference was well at- 

 tended, especially by those interested in nat- 

 ural parks for recreation purposes. Their aim 

 is to secure more parks and protect existing 

 ones. Very few of the existing parks and pre- 

 serves are free from liability to extensive modi- 

 fication through recreation activities, scientific 

 forestry, fires, or exploitation. Even the Na- 

 tional Parks must be watched and defended 

 against external aggression. There are now 

 only a few areas aside from the National Parks 

 which have been set aside with the intention 

 that they should be left in a natural state. 

 Most areas have been and probably will con- 

 tinue to he set aside primarily as recreation 

 parks, or as forest preserves. The main busi- 

 ness of those interested in areas to be held in 

 an original state, must of necessity be to get 

 areas set aside within these forest preserves 

 and parks. 



The following wag made evident hy the con- 

 ference. 



1 Report of tlie delegate of the American So- 

 ciety of Zoologists to the National Conference on 

 Parks, Des Moines, Iowa, January 10-12, 1921. 

 This report will be submitted to the American 

 Society of Zoologists at their next annual meeting. 

 — W. C. Allee, Secretary-Treasurer, 



1. That the forces interested in the estab- 

 lishment of natural parks and forest preserves 

 for recreation purposes — to make " better citi- 

 zens through contact with nature " are well or- 

 ganized, and are probably the strongest force 

 operating to secure more parks and protect 

 existing ones. 



2. Science has left them quite uninformed 

 of its needs for natural areas and of the prac- 

 tical significance of scientific results which may 

 accrue from study of natural areas. They 

 welcome the idea of biological study as a fur- 

 ther arg-ument for natural tracts. 



3. They are, however, without constructive 

 plans of management of the smaller tracts 

 which will insure them against destruction 

 from over use as recreation parks. Such plans 

 of management must be based on knowledge of 

 plant and animal ecology which they do not 

 possess. 



■ 4. They are engaged in drafting legislation 

 and in advising legislators without the counsel 

 of those interested in preserves for research 

 purposes. 



5. It is incumbent upon scientific societies, 

 museums, and universities to organize and to 

 provide funds which will serve the following 

 purposes: (a) to place information as to the 

 scientific uses, and scientific management of 

 natural areas, into the hands of those individ- 

 uals and organizations working for the preser- 

 vation of natural conditions; (h) to make pos- 

 sible the representation of scientific needs be- 

 fore legislative bodies and officials; (c) to pro- 

 vide for furthering the wise selection of new 

 areas, and (d) to make existing areas access- 

 ible to scientists by the publication of lists and 

 guide books. 



V. E. Shelford 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



WORLD PRODUCTION OF COAL IN 1920 



Eepoets received by the United States Greo- 

 logical Survey indicate that the total output in 

 1920 was about 1,300,000,000 metric tons. 

 This, although a great increase over 1919, was 

 still 42,000,000 tons short of the output in 

 1913, the last year before the Great War. The 



