May 16, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



455 



Constant suggestions might be made from 

 the government laboratories to teachers con- 

 cerning the lines of work that might be taken 

 up by advanced students in preparation for 

 theses which would fit in with general investi- 

 gations being carried on by the government. 

 It is extraordinary that such suggestions have 

 not been asked for by teachers, or that they 

 have not been made in considerable nimiber 

 by government men engaged in zoological work. 

 I am informed by Dr. Alsberg that such a 

 policy exists in regard to chemical problems 

 and that the Bureau of Chemistry often as- 

 signs practical research problems to university 

 men who have the laboratory facilities and 

 the time to devote to research. 



This naturally suggests the research fellow- 

 ships which are beginning to be founded in 

 certain universities by certain industrial or- 

 ganizations, and with this in mind the thought 

 arises : Might not the government itself found 

 fellowships at universities for the investiga- 

 tion of certain problems in applied science? 



The laboratories of the larger universities 

 are fitted out with costly and extensive ap- 

 paratus which while existing doubtless in some 

 of the government laboratories, are not dupli- 

 cated in any number in field laboratories. 

 Such apparatus as hydrographic machines, 

 respirometers, calorimeters and others belong- 

 ing to the university should, by collaboration, 

 be used in practical government investigations. 

 An admirable example of this kind of coopera- 

 tion is the elaborate work on the wintering of 

 bees which was done a few years ago at the 

 University of Pennsylvania in collaboration 

 with the Bureau of Entomology. 



There is much that might be considered 

 in this general way, and there are many spe- 

 cific things that occur to me, but which it will 

 be undesirable to take the time to advance 

 at present. Expecting that the approximate 

 soundness of what has been said will be ad- 

 mitted, it seems to me that a practical step 

 towards putting the whole matter on a cooper- 

 ative basis will be to organize a permanent 

 committee of government men in Washington, 

 to whom definite suggestions can be sent by 

 university and government workers and who 



can discuss these suggestions, arrange them in 

 practical form, and distribute them where 

 they can do the most good. Such a conmiittee 

 would therefore be a clearing house for ideas, 

 and its opinion as to the value of the ideas 

 and the best and most practical way of carry- 

 ing them out would carry weight. Perhaps 

 there should be associated with this com- 

 mittee and as members of it certain strong 

 men from nearby university zoological lab- 

 oratories. 



I welcome most heartily the movement 

 which has brought about this symposium and 

 which bids fair to have results of much im- 

 portance. 



L. O. Howard 



The problems of national importance with 

 which we are called upon to deal are doubtless 

 tliose having to do with the biological needs 

 of our species. These fall into three principal 

 categories: Needs of food, needs of shelter, 

 needs of defense. 



These are the primary needs of all animals. 

 Given proper physical conditions — suitable air, 

 moisture, temperature, pressure, etc. — these 

 are the matters in respect to which every 

 species must make its own provision. Of 

 these, food is the most insistent and everre- 

 current need. Shelter is for our species a 

 little different from that of other species, 

 since it moans for us clothing and housing of 

 a very artificial sort. Defense also has grown 

 different, though the categories of our natural 

 enemies are the same. They are: (1) Enemies 

 to be escaped, because of their superior powers ; 

 (2) enemies to be fought, there being a fight- 

 ing chance to overcome tliem; (3) enemies to 

 be dispersed, because individually insignificant; 

 (4r) enemies to be endured (at least until we 

 have means for their control) because they 

 are so small. 



Invention has enabled us to cope with all 

 our enemies save a few of the smallest of 

 them. We have improved our fighting weap- 

 ons until all the great beasts have been put 



