Mabch 19, 1920] 



SCIENCE 



287 



(5) Estimates of cost of complete 

 control of noxious species, to- 

 gether with amount of prob- 

 able saving that would result. 



6. Beneficial animals and their preservation. 



(1) What animals are beneficial? 



(2) Belation of age of species to 



problem of its preservation. 



(3) Effect of occupation by man on 



animal community. 



(4) Essentials for conservation. 



(a) Maintenance of seed- 

 stock; determination of 

 annual toll permissible; 

 unfair methods of de- 

 struction; effect of leg- 

 islation on game conser- 

 vation. 



7. Noxious animals and their destruction. 



(1) Wlat animals are noxious? 



(2) Methods of control; rodents, 



predatory animals, other 

 groups. 



(3) Effects of extirpation of wild 



species on the natural balance. 



By way of summary, may I repeat that pres- 

 ent day world politics emphasize in nnmis- 

 takable terms the vital necessity of increase 

 in food production. For permanent increase 

 in the productivity of the land further study 

 is called for of the scientific fundamentals on 

 which agricultural practise is based. The 

 ecologic method of approach promises much of 

 value. The problems are vast and lead in- 

 evitably to the stressing of the strategy of co- 

 operation as an essential to their successful 

 solution.^ Walter P. Taylor 



Biological Sdetey 



3 The symposium on the relations between gov- 

 ernment and laboratory zoologists held in connec- 

 tion with the meeting of Section E at the sessions 

 of the American Association for the Advancement 

 of Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 

 December 28, 1918, emphasized the desirability of 

 better coordination and cooperation between these 

 two large and active bodies of scientific investiga- 

 tors. In this connection the Bureau of Biological 

 Survey solicits correspondence from all who con- 

 template researches in the ecology of the higher 

 vertebrates, and will be glad to assist with sug- 

 gestions, advice, or otherwise as opportunity may 

 be given. 



THE ATTAINMENT OF HIGH LEVELS 

 IN THE ATMOSPHERE 



It is a far cry from January 7, 1Y85, to 

 February 27, 1920. On the earlier date Dr. 

 John Jeffries ascending from the cliffs at 

 Dover, made his way "through the air over the 

 English Channel to France, landing after an 

 eventful three hours, on the French coast in 

 the forest of Guines. 



During the flight his barometer ranged 

 from 1,006 kilobars (29.70 inches) to 789 kilo- 

 bars (23.30 inches) indicating at the lower 

 reading a height of nearly 2,012 meters (6,600 

 feet). 



On Friday, February 27, this year. Major 

 E. W. Schroeder, chief test pilot of the Air 

 Service, rose from McCook Field at Dayton, 

 Ohio and reached an elevation of 10,979 

 meters (36,020 feet). 



Jeffries of course used a balloon ; Schroeder 

 an airplane designed for climbing, and with 

 a supercharger, i. e., a gas turbine centrifugal 

 compressor to offset the loss at the carbureter 

 due to diminished density of the air at such 

 heights. 



The history of the attack upon the high levels 

 of the atmosphere may then be said to ex- 

 tend over a period of one hundred and thirty- 

 five years. Various methods and agencies 

 have been employed. Within twenty years 

 from the time of the first ascension, heights 

 of 4,000 meters had been attained. Indeed 

 Gay-Lussac made certain scientific observa- 

 tions at a height of 7,400 meters in 1804. 



On September 5, 1862, Glaisher and Cos- 

 well reached a height of 11,200 meters or 

 practically the same level as that reached by 

 Schroeder with an airplane. Three other 

 noteworthy records by manned balloons are 

 those of Tissandier, Spinelli and Sivel, acting 

 for the French Academy, who reached a 

 height of 8,530 meters, on April 15, 1875; 

 Dr. A. Berson who on December 4, 1894, 

 reached 9,600 meters; and later (1901) Ber- 

 son and Siiring to a known elevation of 

 10,500 meters and probably 10,800 meters, both 

 men being unconscious at the higher level. In 

 all of these high balloon flights, the observers 

 became unconscious, and this even in the 



