September 8, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



311 



metric tons of 2,204.6 pounds each, against 

 3,304 tons in 1909, 3,296 tons in 1908 and 

 3,307 tons in 1907. Spain is the largest pro- 

 ducer, furnishing nearly a third of the total 

 world's supply from the famous Almaden 

 mines. The United States, Austria-Hungary 

 and Italy have in turn held second place, this 

 country ranking third in 1910. 



The Geographical Journal states that Mr. 

 Egon F. Kirschstein — a Russian by birth 

 though living in Berlin — who accompanied 

 the Duke of Mecklenburg on his journey 

 across Africa in 1907-08, and did good work 

 there by his investigation of the Virunga vol- 

 canoes, is about to undertake a new expedition 

 to Central Africa, this time on his own ac- 

 count. His route will be through Portuguese 

 East Africa to Lake Nyasa, and thence to 

 Tanganyika and northwards along the fron- 

 tier of the Belgian Congo to the Nile, thus 

 touching in part his old area of investigation 

 near Lake Kivu. The duration of the new ex- 

 pedition will probably be between one and two 

 years. A considerable stay will be made in the 

 district between Lakes Nyasa and Tanganyika, 

 which it is proposed to traverse in all direc- 

 tions. Among other items, the ascent and 

 geological investigation of the little-known 

 Konde volcanoes near Lake Nyasa, as well as 

 a visit to the Eukwa valley, are planned. The 

 scientific collections are destined for the mu- 

 seums in Berlin, Brussels and St. Petersburg. 



The Journal of the American Medical As- 

 sociation supplies the following figures re- 

 garding the number of medical college gradu- 

 ates in the United States. 



Captain Periquet has returned to France 

 after completing his surveys in French Equa- 

 torial Africa along the line of a possible rail- 

 way from the coast to the interior. Accord- 

 ing to the Geographical Journal he professes 

 himself convinced of the value and feasibility 

 of such a line, which would tap a rich region 

 of virgin forest abounding in rubber-yielding 

 plants. Besides fixing fifty-four new posi- 

 tions. Captain Periquet and his coadjutors 

 carried out route-surveys totalling some 3,000 

 miles, paying much attention also to the de- 

 termination of levels. The traveler was much 

 impressed by the intelligence and general 

 character of the western Pahuins (Fans), who 

 are said to be the most interesting people of 

 the territory, fully equalling the Senegalese 

 in their adaptability to civilization. 



The U. S. Geological Survey has made 

 public figures prepared by Mr. J. P. Dunlop, 

 showing the recovery of " secondary " copper, 

 lead, zinc, tin and antimony in 1910. The 

 total amount of secondary copper recovered, 

 on the assumption that the brass remelted had 

 an average copper content of 70 per cent., was 

 91,500 tons, of which 15,500 tons was recov- 

 ered by regular refining plants and the re- 

 mainder by plants treating only secondary 

 material. At least 30,000 tons was recovered 

 from clean scrap made in the course of manu- 

 facture of copper and brass ware, so that only 

 61,500 tons was obtained from ashes and cin- 

 ders and from material that had entered the 

 trade in manufactured form and been dis- 

 carded. The survey inquiry was extended so 

 as to include the railway companies' figures 

 for old metals reused by themselves, and to 

 these is attributed a large proportion of the 

 increase in the figures for copper. The pro- 

 duction from secondary sources in 1910 was 

 equal to about 17 per cent, of the domestic 

 consumption of new copper. The secondary 

 lead was equal to 11.5 per cent, of the refined 

 lead produced in the United States. The sec- 

 ondary zinc equaled 23.2 per cent, of the total 

 production of primary spelter in the United 

 States. The secondary antimony shows a 

 large increase, and, as the production from 

 domestic antimonial and antimonial lead ores 



