496 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXIX. No. 743 



the development and perfecting of means whereby 

 waste in the consumption of fuel can be reduced. 



The loss of human life through preventable 

 mining accidents in North America is excessive. 

 Much needless suffering and bereavement results 

 therefrom. Accompanying this loss there is great 

 destruction of valuable mineral property and en- 

 hancement of the cost of production. The best 

 method of eliminating these known and admitted 

 evils lies in the enactment and strict enforcement 

 of regulations which will provide the greatest 

 possible security for mine workers and mines. 

 We therefore favor the scientific investigation of 

 the whole subject of mine accidents by the gov- 

 ernments participating in this conference, the 

 interchange of information and experience and 

 the enactment and enforcement of the best regula- 

 tions that can be devised. 



Mineral fertilizers should not be monopolized 

 by private interests, but should be so controlled 

 by public authority as to prevent waste and to 

 promote their production in such quantity and 

 at such price as to make them readily available 

 for use. 



Protection of Game. — We recognize that game 

 preservation and the protection of bird life are 

 intimately associated with the conservation of 

 natural resources. We therefore favor game pro- 

 tection under regulation, the creation of extensive 

 game preserves and special protection for such 

 birds as are useful to agriculture. 



Conservation Commissions. — The action of the 

 President of the United States in calling this first 

 conference to consider the conservation of the 

 natural resources of North America was in the 

 highest degree opportune, and the proceedings 

 which have followed, and the information mutu- 

 ally communicated by the representatives as- 

 sembled, have, we believe, been conducive to the 

 best interests of the countries participating. To 

 derive the greatest possible benefit from the work 

 which has already been done, and to provide 

 proper and effective machinery for future work, 

 there should be established in each country a 

 permanent conservation commission. 



When such conservation commissions have been 

 established, a system of intercommunication 

 should be inaugurated, whereby, at stated in- 

 tervals, all discoveries, inventions, processes, in- 

 ventories of natural resources, information of a 

 new and specially important character, and seeds, 

 seedlings, new or improved varieties, and other 

 productions which are of value in conserving or 

 improving any natural resource shall be trans- 



mitted by each commission to all of the others, 

 to the end that they may be adopted and utilized 

 as widely as possible. 



World Conservation Conference. — The confer- 

 ence of delegates, representatives of the United 

 States, Mexico, Canada and Newfoundland, having 

 exchanged views and considered the information 

 supplied from the respective countries, is con- 

 vinced of the importance of the movement for the 

 conservation of natural resources on the continent 

 of North America, and believes that it is of such 

 a nature and of such general importance that it 

 should become worldwide in its scope, and there- 

 fore suggests to the President of the United States 

 of America that all nations should be invited to 

 join together in conference on the subject of 

 world resources and their inventory, conservation 

 and wise utilization. 



GlFFOBD PiNCHOT, SYDNEY FiSHEE, 



EoBEBT Bacon, Clitfoed Sifton, 



James R. Gaefield, Henri S. Bf:LAND, 



Commissioners Eepre- Commissioners Repre- 

 senting the United senting the Doming 

 States. ion of Canada. 

 R6MTJL0 EscoBAB, E. H. Outeebbidqe, 

 Miguel A. de Quevedo, Commissioner Repre- 

 Cablos Sellebiee, senting the Colony 

 Commissioners Repre- of Newfoundland, 

 senting the Repub- 

 lic of Mexico. 

 Attest : 



RoBEET E. Young, 

 Thomas R. Shipp, 



Secretaries of the Conference. 

 Washington, D. C, February 23, 1809 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 

 The centenary of the birth of Darwin was 

 commemorated at Syracuse University on 

 March 19, by a meeting held under the aus- 

 pices of the Syracuse Chapter of Sigma Xi, 

 the Onondaga Academy of Science, the Syra- 

 cuse Academy of Medicine, the Syracuse Bo- 

 tanical Club, the University Biological As- 

 sociation and the University Geological Club. 

 Addresses were made as follows : " Darwin 

 and Zoology," by Professor Charles W. Har- 

 gitt ; " Darwin and Botany," by Professor 

 William L. Bray ; " Darwin and Geology," by 

 Dr. John M. Clarke, state geologist, Albany. 

 Washburn College and the Kansas Acad- 

 emy of Science celebrated the centenary of 



