412 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX. No. 1270 



year in soutliern Arizona. The Agricultural 

 CoUeg-e of the University of California has 

 worked out a plan for cooperation with this 

 bureau in the study of the relations of rodents 

 to forage production in that state. The 

 Museum of Vertebrate Zoology of the Uni- 

 versity of California is continually cooper- 

 ating with the Biological Survey in its tech- 

 nical research relating to birds and mammals. 

 Other universities have been cooperating along 

 certain lines, as in the case of the Universities 

 of Michigan, Wisconsin and Stanford with 

 the Bureau of Fisheries. In some institutions 

 of learning work is being conducted along 

 lines parallel to that of the Bureau of Bio- 

 logical Survey, but without any definite co- 

 operation and in some cases apparently with- 

 out any definite effort to keep informed as to 

 current work being done in Washington. 



The biological surveys of the states covering 

 field studies of the species of birds and mam- 

 mals and the most characteristic vegetation 

 and their distribution in relation to tempera- 

 ture or life zones, which this bureau has been 

 conducting for many years, have in some in- 

 stances, as in the ease of Oregon and Wash- 

 ington, had local cooperation from state in- 

 stitutions. The bureau will be glad to see 

 much more of this active cooperation devel- 

 oped in the future. Then, whenever a state 

 survey is being conducted, students of the 

 local colleges may have an opportunity for 

 doing field work in the study of birds, mam- 

 mals and the distribution of plants, thus gain- 

 ing an insight into the relationships which es- 

 ist in nature and obtaining a practical knowl- 

 edge of field methods which have resulted 

 from years of experience. The Biological 

 Survey welcomes cooperation and will be glad 

 to make itself helpful to students and lab- 

 oratory workers who desire information or 

 suggestions which may be useful in develop- 

 ing their studies. 



In the practical handling of economic 

 zoological problems it is interesting to note 

 the close dependence of one specialist on an- 

 other. The Biological Survey is continually 

 forced to seek aid of the specialists in the 

 Bureau of Entomology, in the Bureau of 



Animal Husbandi-y, in the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry, and even in the Bureau of Chem- 

 istry. This being the case, it is evident that 

 the college student of narrow viewpoint will 

 be at a disadvantage when getting into pro- 

 fessional scientific work. 



The foregoing facts touching the work of 

 the Biological Survey are illustrative of the 

 many opportimities for useful research open 

 to the student of birds and mammals. These 

 opportunities form only an exceedingly small 

 fraction of the vast field covered by economic 

 zoology and the necessary attendant technical 

 studies. 



In its relations to the public welfare eco- 

 nomic zoology is of the most vital and far- 

 reaching importance. Animal life, from its 

 lowliest organisms, among wliich lurk some of 

 our deadliest foes as well as beneficent 

 friends, to the highest vertebrates, touches and 

 affects our lives and welfare in innumerable 

 ways. It must be studied in all its phases 

 as never before to guard against previously 

 unsuspected or little-known diseases of man 

 and domestic animals, as well as to develop 

 the wealth and ever-increasing variety of pro- 

 ducts from which we obtain food, medicines, 

 clothing, dyes, ornaments and an endless num- 

 ber of other useful articles. No man can now 

 be considered well informed who has not a 

 general knowledge of economic zoology in its 

 more direct relationships to human life. The 

 scientific investigator finds in the subject the 

 charm of endless variety and of service to 

 mankind. E. W. J:n'elson 



THE HISTORY OF POISON GASES 



The introduction of poison gases by the 

 Germans at Tpres in April, 1915, marked a 

 new era in modem warfare. The popular 

 opinion is that this form of warfare was 

 original with the Germans. Such, however, 

 is not the case. Quoting from an article in 

 the Candid Quarterly Beview, (4-561), "AH 

 they can claim is the inhuman adoption of 

 devices invented in England, and by England 

 rejected as too horrible to be entertained even 

 for use against an enemy."' But the use of 



