NOVEMBER 19, 1897. ] 
far proved very satisfactory, and has a very de- 
cided advantage over the former system in the 
point of time required to establish understand- 
ings between the manufacturers and the Bureau. 
There are many questions arising in the in- 
spection of steel which can be decided or 
answered only by reference to the Bureau’s 
plans and specifications, and which now come 
direct to the Bureau; whereas under the former 
system of inspection they came through the 
Steel Inspection Board, and the information 
desired in connection with them was, of course, 
returned to that Board for its decision, thus 
causing much delay. The inspection of steel 
and the designing of machinery made of that 
material being now under one head, the plans 
and specifications for that machinery and the 
specifications for that steel can be better adapted 
to the full capabilities of the steel maker, and 
will not be apt to ask of him anything beyond 
his capabilites. 
THE visitation of Algeria by locusts last year 
is described in the last report of the British Con- 
sul-General, which is quoted in the London 
Times. It seems that Algeria was visited twice 
during the year, the first flight appearing in the 
winter as far north as the Mediterranean coast, 
and a second one, which was normal, in the 
spring and earlysummer. There is no record 
of any flight such as the early one in the history 
of Algeria, and as they appeared so early it was 
believed they were sterile ; but the females be- 
gan to lay in the usual way, only several 
months toosoon. But in place of being hatched 
out in the usual period, they took more than 
twice as long, which seems to be something 
wholly new and unexpected in the life history 
of locusts. The appearance of the insect so far 
north as the Mediterranean in mid-winter is 
believed to be due to the drought which in the 
previous year devastated the southern districts 
and the Morocco Sahara. There being no vege- 
tation in the Sahara, the locusts were forced to 
leave the grounds where they spend the winter, 
and, without making the usual halts, to hurry 
forward to places where food was obtainable. 
Up to this it was believed that the maximum 
period for the incubation of the eggs was 45 
days ; but it has been shown now that it extends 
in some cases to 70 days, so that the period 
SCIENCE. 
769 
may vary, according to the time of the year, 
from 15 days to 70. This unexpected visitation 
was met by exceptional exertions on the part 
of the government, the local authorities and 
trade committees. Oran, the province adjoin- 
ing Morocco, was the only one invaded. The 
area over which the eggs were laid is estimated 
at 424,500 acres, and 270,120 bushels of young 
locusts were destroyed. The barriers, or lines 
of defence, made of the Cyprus apparatus, or of 
zine, extended over 322 miles, while 27,113 
ditches were dug at the foot of these to catch 
the young locusts. These figures do not take 
into account the work done by the administra- 
tion of forests. The number of days’ work 
furnished by natives during the campaign was 
90,033. The efforts of the defenders were de- 
voted mainly to saving the crops which were 
most valuable, such as the vines, and are said 
to have been very successful. 
THE London County Council has adopted the 
following resolution: ‘‘That it be referred to 
the Parks Committee and to the Technical Edu- 
cation Board to consider and report as to the 
practicability of laying out plots of ground in 
certain parks in such manner as will afford as- 
sistance to scholars of elementary and secondary 
schools in the study of practical botany.”’ 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL NEWS. 
THE report of the Treasurer of Yale Univer- 
sity states that the additions to the funds of the 
institution during the past year amounted to 
$450,055, largely from the Fayerweather legacy. 
During the past ten years the funds of the Uni- 
versity have been about doubled. 
Turrty scholarships have been established in 
the department of philosophy in the Univer- 
sity of Pennsylvania, ten of. which will be avail- 
able this year, twenty next, and the whole 
number the following year. 
PuANs have been adopted for the new Wilder 
physical laboratory at Dartmouth College. 
The building will be of brick, three stories high, 
107 feet long by 56 deep, with a wing in the 
rear. It will front on College street, between 
the Richardson Hall and the Medical College. 
The building will provide lecture rooms and 
