October 6, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



437 



United Kingdom and Germany, the carrying 

 into effect of whicli will mean a thorough in- 

 vestigation into the extent of sleeping sick- 

 ness in the Gold Coast Colony, the Ashanti 

 and northern Territory Protectorates, and 

 Togoland. Each government will keep the 

 other informed of the incidence, extent and 

 possible spread of the disease in its territory, 

 and will treat the other's native subjects free 

 of charge; but each may impose restrictions 

 on the frontier traffic and may prevent sus- 

 pected sufferers from crossing its border. The 

 agreement is for three years certain from 

 December 1, 1911, and continues thereafter for 

 yearly periods, unless denounced at least six 

 months before the close of a year. 



A REPORT on the geology of the Lake Su- 

 perior region, by President C. E. Van Hise 

 and Professor C. K. Leith, of the University 

 of Wisconsin, has been published by the 

 United States Geological Survey as Mono- 

 graph 52. This monograph represents the 

 survey's first attempt to cover the geology of 

 the region in a single volume and forms at 

 once a notable contribution to the literature 

 of American geology and a guide book for 

 the exploitation of the mineral wealth of the 

 region. It covers 641 pages and contains 

 chapters on all the iron and copper producing 

 districts as well as full descriptions of the iron 

 and copper ores. It includes accurate maps 

 of all the districts and a general geologic map 

 of the region. The illustrations number 49 

 plates and 76 text figures, comprising maps, 

 sections, diagrams and halftone reproductions 

 of photographs of ores and minerals. 



A CIRCULAR, quoted in Nature, respecting 

 the work of the Aberdeen University Bird- 

 migration Inquiry has been issued by Pro- 

 fessor J. Arthur Thomson and Mr. A. L. 

 Thomson. The object of the movement is the 

 collection of more definite information on mi- 

 gration by the method of placing aluminium 

 rings on the feet of a large number of birds, 

 in the hope of hearing of the subsequent 

 movements of some proportion of the birds. 

 The rings are inscribed with the address 

 " Aberdeen University," and a number (or 

 number and letter combination) different in 



each case. The rings are placed on young 

 birds found in the nest, or on any old ones 

 that can be captured without injury. The 

 following extracts are taken from the circular 

 above-mentioned: (1) "It is particularly re- 

 quested that all who may shoot, capture or 

 kill or even hear of any of our marked birds, 

 should let us know of the occurrence. As ac- 

 curate particulars of date and locality as pos- 

 sible are desired, but, above all, the number 

 (or number and letters) on the ring. Indeed, 

 except where it has been possible to reliberate 

 the bird uninjured, the ring itseK should al- 

 ways be sent, or the ring and foot, or even the 

 whole bird. We always refund postage 

 if asked to do so." (2) "We invite the co- 

 operation in the actual work of marking of 

 any who are specially interested, and have 

 some knowledge of birds and also time and 

 opportunity for the work. The necessary 

 rings, schedules, postage stamps, etc., are sup- 

 plied by us, without charge, and we undertake 

 to let the marker know of each case of a bird 

 marked by him being recovered, and to let 

 him have copies of printed reports as far as 

 possible." 



A SERIES of analyses of the water of the 

 Mississippi River made by chemists of the 

 United States Geological Survey, reveals the 

 changes in its character at different points. 

 At Minneapolis the water of the Mississippi 

 is very simple in character, being distin- 

 guished only by secondary alkalinity, primary 

 salinity and very low secondary salinity or 

 permanent hardness. At Moline, 111., perma- 

 nent hardness appears definitely among the 

 properties of the Mississippi water, although 

 it occupies a very subordinate position. At 

 Chester, 111., however, the character of the 

 water appears to be greatly changed, for the 

 analyses indicate that the proportion of pri- 

 mary salinity is much increased and the pro- 

 portion of permanent hardness is more than 

 doubled. This change is due to the highly 

 saline waters received from the Missouri at a 

 point between Quincy and Chester. From 

 Chester to New Orleans the river water ap- 

 pears to undergo no permanent change in gen- 



