October 10, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



509 



only all of the important fields are represented, 

 but practically all of the more important min- 

 ing districts. The purpose of the bureau in 

 compiling and publishing this information is 

 to present reliable information regarding the 

 chemical composition and heating value of the 

 coals. The samples of coals were collected by 

 experienced men according to a definite and 

 uniform system, and were analyzed under care- 

 fully controlled conditions, so that there might 

 be no question as to the relative merits of the 

 different coals so far as this can be deter- 

 mined by chemical analyses and determination 

 of heating values. An increasing proportion 

 of the coal consumed in the power stations and 

 the larger manufacturing plants of the coun- 

 try is now being purchased under specifications 

 based on chemical analyses and calorimetric 

 determinations of heat units. In the purchase 

 of fuels many matters that have been left to 

 chance are now carefully investigated. It is 

 the aim of mechanical engineers to construct 

 furnaces and to arrange the heat-absorbing 

 surface in a furnace with reference to the 

 peculiar character of the fuel which is to be 

 burned. The report just issued by the Bureau 

 of Mines is in two parts, one giving the meth- 

 ods used in collecting and analyzing the 

 samples, and the results of the analyses, and 

 the other giving the exact location from which 

 each sample of coal was taken, together with 

 a description of the characteristic features of 

 the coal bed at the point of sampling, the 

 nominal capacity of the mine, and such notes 

 on the preparation of the coal as might be use- 

 ful to consumers. The data contained in these 

 two volumes is not equalled in scope and 

 detail and in value for comparative purposes 

 by the figures that have been published by 

 any other coal-producing country in the world. 

 The governments of some of these countries 

 have published analyses of coals from different 

 mines and from different districts but, with 

 few exceptions, the samples of coal were not 

 collected and analyzed under a uniform system 

 that would make the results comparable in 

 all respects, and no country has attempted to 

 publish such a large number of analyses that 



would be comparable because of the care taken 

 in collecting and analyzing the samples. 



During the past fiscal year 4,686 predatory 

 animals were killed by federal officers on the 

 national forests, according to an actual count 

 of carcasses. An indeterminate number of 

 animals, whose bodies were not found, are pre- 

 sumed to have died from poison. The ranger's 

 bag of beasts of prey this year, as shown by 

 forest service figures, was made up of 206 

 bears, 3,541 coyotes, 133 mountain lions, 62 

 lynx, 583 wild cats, 64 wolves and 97 wolf 

 pups. The figures indicate that the national 

 forests are becoming cleared of wild animals 

 that prey upon domestic livestock and game, 

 for the forest ranger fills in odd moments be- 

 tween other jobs by thLnning out " undesirable 

 citizens " of the animal world. Wolves are 

 said to cause greater losses to western stock- 

 men than any other of the predatory animals. 

 It is estimated that a family of wolves will 

 destroy about $3,000 worth of stock per annum, 

 and that one able-bodied individual costs the 

 grazing industry $600 a season. The wolves 

 are of two classes, the smaller prairie wolves 

 or coyotes, and the larger gray, black or timber 

 wolves, called " lobos." These latter are the 

 great stock-destroyers against which the cam- 

 paign of the rangers has been waged. The 

 methods of hunting wolves in the west vary. 

 On the plains wolves are sometimes hunted 

 with dogs and horses, but this way is consid- 

 ered expensive and often dangerous. This 

 sport is described by Roosevelt in his earlier 

 hunting books. On national forests the rangers 

 either set out poison or baited steel traps or, by 

 watching trails and hiding near a wolf's den, 

 are able to shoot one or both of the old wolves 

 when they return from foraging. In no other 

 way, according to the forest service, can the 

 number of wolves be kept down so well as by 

 finding their dens and destroying the young. 

 The skins of the predatory animals killed by 

 the rangers are either kept as souvenirs or 

 sold for a price or for bounty. Wolf skins in 

 the west are said to bring from $4 to $6 for 

 robes and rugs; a mountain lion skin, $10 to 

 $20; and a bear skin, anywhere from $20 to 

 $150, according to size and species. In addi- 



