November 9, 1917] 



SCIENCE 



451 



He published a small volume entitled " 200 

 Wild Birds of Iowa ' ' in 1906, and was tlie au- 

 thor of numerous short papers and notes on 

 mammals and birds which appeared from time 

 to time in the Proceedings of the Iowa Acad- 

 of Science and in The Auk. In addition, 

 many valuable notes contributed by him ap- 

 pear in Anderson's " Birds of Iowa." 



Francis Windle died at his home in West 

 Chester, Pa., on February 24, 1917, in his sev- 

 enty-second year. Mr. Windle was born in 

 West Marlboro, Chester county, Pa. He lived 

 most of his life in West Chester, having re- 

 ceived his education in the schools of his na- 

 tive county and at the University of Michigan, 

 at which latter place he took his law course. 

 Owing to poor health Mr. Windle found it 

 necessary to give up the practise of law and 

 seek outdoor employment. He secured a posi- 

 tion with one of the extensive nurseries at West 

 Chester. Here his wide knowledge of botany 

 acquired during his frequent outing trips, 

 which constituted his chief recreation for 

 years, proved a valuable asset. During his 

 recreational activities his time was about 

 equally divided between his study and observa- 

 tion of plants and birds, with the result that he 

 became skilled in both botany and field orni- 

 thology. 



For several years Mr. Windle taught biology 

 at Darlington Seminary, West Chester, and 

 also did some teaching at the State IsTormal 

 School in the same place. 



For about eleven years prior to his death 

 he was connected with the Bureau of Zoology, 

 Department of Agriculture of Pennsylvania, 

 with headquarters at Harrisburg. He became 

 assistant orchard inspector for the eastern end 

 of Pennsylvania, and while acting in this ca- 

 pacity was made a member of the Chestnut 

 Blight Commission, and later of the White 

 Pine Blister Rust Commission. The duties of 

 these positions took him all over the eastern 

 end of the state and kept him out of doors 

 where he could indulge his passion for botany 

 and ornithology. He was a member of the 

 Philadelphia Botanical Club and of the Dela- 

 ware Valley Ornithological Club and kept con- 

 stantly in touch with men in these fields. 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 

 WAR SERVICE FOR CHEMISTS' 



France and England freely acknowledge 

 that they greatly decreased their eificiency by 

 sending their scientific men to the trenches. 

 Although they have since withdrawn most of 

 those still alive and are now using them in 

 special service, the dearth of technically 

 trained men has been and is severely felt. 



Secretary of War Baker, aware of this fact, 

 is carrying out the full spirit of the selective 

 draft, and specially trained men, so far as 

 needed, are being assigned to the war service 

 which they are trained to render. 



More than others among scientific men, 

 trained chemists have been needed for war pur- 

 poses by both the Army and the Navy. 



Fortunately, the American Chemical So- 

 ciety and the Bureau of Mines, acting coopera- 

 tively, foreseeing this need, took first a census 

 of American chemists and later compiled from 

 all data available a list of those enlisted. From 

 this list of chemists actually in the Army and 

 the Navy a large number have been selected 

 for special fitness and have been already as- 

 signed. Many more, undoubtedly, will l|e so 

 assigned, and if the present demand keeps up, 

 it may later be necessary to ask for special en- 

 listment for chemical work. That time has not 

 yet arrived. 



At present any chemist not required by law 

 to enter chemical war service who enters vol- 

 untarily keeps one chemist in the ranks and 

 deprives the chemical industries of his own 

 service as well. A number of chemists have 

 been commissioned, but these are picked men 

 of special attainments and specific experience. 

 The majority will serve as privates or non- 

 commissioned ofiicers until such time as they 

 are found to deserve promotion. 



Don't ask to be assigned to chemical work 

 until you are actually in the camp. Camp as- 

 signment must be made before your name will 

 be submitted to the War Department. 



Don't send in your name, even for considera- 

 tion for such service, if exemption is to be 



1 From The Journal of Indiistrial and Engineer- 

 ing Chemistry. 



