Mat 30, 1919] 



SCIENCE 



517 



ing the seeds with a photomicrographic appar- 

 atus, enlarging theni a sufficient number of 

 times, it is easy to bring the markings within 

 the range of size where the use of the plani- 

 meter becomes a practical matter. 



H. F. Roberts 

 Kansas State Agricultural Colleob, 

 April 28 



SURPLUS BISON FOR MUSEUMS 



There is now a great surplus of male bison 

 in the main Canadian herd at Buffalo Park, 

 'Wainright, Alberta. This is the largest herd 

 of bison in the world, numbering 3,561 and is 

 maintained by the Canadian government 

 under the administration of the Dominion 

 Parks Branch of the Department of the In- 

 terior. 



Besides these 3,561 bison, there are also 8 

 at the Rocky Mountains Park, Banff, Alberta, 

 and 182 at Elk Island Park, Lamont, Alberta. 

 In 1909, there was a total of 685 bison at 

 Buffalo Park, 118 were imported during 1910, 

 1911 and 1912 from the Pablo herd in Mon- 

 tana, and 10 bison cows from the Rocky 

 ilovmtains Park during the winter of 1913—14. 

 With the exception of these the increase has 

 been due to natural causes. 



It is said that elsewhere the percentage of 

 male to female calves has been higher among 

 bison in semi-captivity within enclosed parks 

 than was the case when the herds freely 

 roamed the plains. This has proved to be 

 the case in the main Canadian herd, so that 

 there is a great surplus of male bison that are 

 not needed for herd purposes. 



It is proposed to dispose of these surplus 

 male bison for the nominal sum of $250 each 

 to bonafide natural history museums of Can- 

 ada and the United States, and further in- 

 formation can be obtained by such museums 

 from Mr. J. B. Harkin, Commissioner of 

 Dominion Parks, Department of the Interior, 

 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 



This should prove a splendid opportunity 

 not only to secure skins for mounted speci- 

 mens and groups, but also for museums to 

 send their preparators to Buffalo Park to 

 secure photographs, color sketches and acces- 



sories for habitat groups, and to secure skele- 

 tons, anatomical preparations of internal or- 

 gans and parasites. 



Harlan I. Smith 

 MusEUii or THE Geological Survey, 

 Ottawa, Canada 



information service for experimental 



BIOLOGISTS 



To THE Editor of Science: The Federation 

 of American Societies for Exjxjrimental Biol- 

 ogy, comprising the sciences of physiology, 

 biological chemistry, pharmacology and ex- 

 perimental pathology, is now organizing an 

 information service to serve as a medium of 

 communication between persons seeking posi- 

 tions for teaching or research and institutions 

 that wish to fill vacancies in these sciences. 

 Persons, whether members of the federation 

 or not, and institutions desiring to avail them- 

 selves of the service may communicate with 

 Professor Edgar D. Brown, secretary of the 

 executive committee of the federation. Uni- 

 versity of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., and 

 such information as is available will be sup- 

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