Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

ductive of many new species. His collection contains a number of species that are only found in one or two museums in the world, and these were furnished by Mr. Knaus. His collection will be kept as a separate one and will be known as the "Warren Knaus Collection."

THE University of Michigan Biological Station, situated at Douglas Lake, Michigan, will open for the ninth season on July second for a period of eight weeks. Courses in natural history and ecology of animals and plants will be in charge of the following staff:

George R. La Rue, assistant professor of zoology in the University of Michigan, director of the biological station, and assistant professor of zoology. Reuben Myron Strong, Ph.D., assistant professor of anatomy in Vanderbilt University, professor of zoology.

Max Mapes Ellis, Ph.D., Sc.D., assistant professor of biology in the University of Colorado, assistant professor of zoology.

Frank Caleb Gates, Ph.D., sometime instructor in botany in the University of the Philippines, assistant professor of botany.

John Henry Ehlers, Ph.D., instructor in botany in the University of Michigan, instructor in botany. Richard Morris Holman, Ph.D., instructor in botany in the University of Michigan, instructor in botany.

Walter Koelz, A.B., assistant in zoology in the University of Michigan, instructor in zoology.

Clyde Bruce Stouffer, M.D., physician to the University of Michigan Health Service, physician to the Biological Station.

The station is open to investigators as well as to students who require direction. Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. George R. La Rue, director of the Biological Station, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

THE Cambridge University Press has issued a collection of essays by Cambridge graduates

[blocks in formation]

Wood; Geology, by Dr. H. H. Thomas, secretary of the Geological Society of London; Medicine and Diseases, by Professors F. G. Hopkins and G. H. F. Nuttall and Dr. G. S. Graham-Smith; while Mr. W. H. R. Rivers deals with the government of subject peoples from the point of view of the anthropologist. The general object of these essays is to emphasize and illustrate the importance of pure science and of original research as bearing directly on national prosperity.

UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL
NEWS

THE Texas legislature has created a branch of the State Agricultural and Mechanical College to be situated at a point to be determined by a commission in the western part of the state. The legislature has also established two junior colleges to be situated at Stephenville and Arlington under the control of the trustees of the state college. The legislature appropriated two million dollars for the rural schools of the state.

THE University of Oregon Medical School is about to expend $115,000 for the construction of the first unit of their new laboratory building on Portland Heights. The new site, some twenty acres, was the gift of the Oregon and Washington Railroad and Navigation Co. Its altitude affords a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains and rivers.

DR. SIMON N. PATTEN, professor of political economy at the University of Pennsylvania, has been retired on the ground that he has attained the age of sixty-five years. Dr. Patten in a statement said the notification given him "raises the question of free speech."

MR. F. A. KENNEDY has resigned from the instructing staff of the mining and metallurgy department of the University of Wisconsin to become a consulting engineer.

DR. G. E. BURGET, of the department of physiology of Chicago University, has been appointed professor of physiology in the University of Oregon Medical School.

DR. C. E. FERREE, of Bryn Mawr College, has been promoted to be professor of experimental psychology.

DISCUSSION AND CORRESPONDENCE THE SONG OF THE GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (AMMODRAMUS SAVANNARUM AUSTRALIS MAYNARD)

FOR many years I have been interested in the song of the grasshopper sparrow. This sparrow appears to be fairly common around Washington, D. C. During the early part of the summer of 1916 I frequently heard its peculiar, insect-like, lisping notes, for the bird is more often heard than seen. One male, however, almost invariably perched upon a certain cedar tree in the National Cemetery, near the McClellan Gate, to deliver its dainty, high-pitched it-tip-i-ts-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e. This particular bird sang in this manner for many mornings, always singing from the same favorite tree.

For many years I was familiar with this field sparrow around my home town, Oxford, Mass., and have often heard delivered a more complete song than the one usually described by practically all observers and ornithologists. The usual song, it-tip-i-ts-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e, frequently terminated with a most remarkable series of faint, rapidly uttered, wild, ecstatic, flowing, warbler-like notes-an exuberant chippety-chippety-chippety, continued for six or eight seconds. This last performance appears to have been a sort of passion song and is remotely like a tiny edition of the oven bird's passionate outburst as it mounts into the air above the woodlands at night. This more complete song is not as commonly heard as the lisping monotone and I have never yet heard it elsewhere than in New England. I feel, however, that this wonderful little twittering rhapsody is a part of its true song, at least in some portions of its range.

In the literature referring to the habits of this sparrow I find only two references to this variation in its song. In "Birds of New York," Memoir 12, Vol. 2, by Elon Howard Eaton, an excellent description of the song by Gerald Thayer is cited. Thayer interprets the usual song as "sit-tit-ts-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e.” He does not regard this as the true song of the grasshopper sparrow, however. The true song which he heard was a "long, rambling

twitter," uttered in a tone similar to that of the insect-like notes given above, although not as loud, and continuing as long as 10 to 12 seconds. Eaton says:

This rolling twitter is uttered when the male and female are flying together over the meadows or seated near each other.

L. A. Fuertes has also heard this more complete song of the grasshopper sparrow and likens it to the twittering song of the prairie horned-lark heard at a considerable distance. H. A. ALLARD

WASHINGTON, D. C.

DECORATIVE AND PICTORIAL ART

TO THE EDITOR OF SCIENCE: As an artist, I was interested in the quotation on art, used as an apt illustration in the interesting article, "Education after the War," by Messrs. Franklin and MacNutt, in SCIENCE of December 15. The argument is based on a misconception of the relative values of decorative and pictorial art; a misconception which is entirely modern. The Greek or medieval potter or weaver would have been much surprised if, when he was decorating a jar or a fabric with conventional forms, he had been told that his art was less "living" than that of the picture maker. Pictorial art is no higher or more alive than decorative art; it is simply a different expression of the artist's feeling for the beautiful.

The artist who designed the angel, probably in mosaic, illustrated in the article, desired to fill a given space with a symmetrical arrangement of line, form and color, which would be pleasing to the eye. As he was decorating a church, this arrangement took the form, or rather became the symbol, of an angel. He pointed the thumbs because the pattern was thus improved and he put red spots on the hands because he wanted some bright color in that particular place. (Though for the matter of that, I know of no data which warrant our concluding that angels haven't pointed thumbs or red spots on their palms!) If he had been decorating a banqueting hall, he would have used some symbol of conviviality, such as grapes, or a figure of Bacchus, or whatever symbol was best adapted

to his purpose, i. e., filling a given space with ornament pleasing to the eye.

Decorative art is limited by space, material, etc., and its interest often consists in the artist's effort to use these limitations; while the comparative freedom of pictorial art often causes it to degenerate into imitation -which, of course, is not art at all.

As the technic of art is properly a science, these remarks may not be entirely out of place. MARGARET ARMSTRONG

THE PRESERVATION OF RECORDS TO THE EDITOR OF SCIENCE: On reading the article on "Our Duty to the Future," by Professor C. E. Vail, in the December number of the Scientific Monthly, it occurred to me that we have at hand, available without special expense, better means of leaving permanent records for the future than any of our predecessors. Practically all printing is done from electrotypes; these electrotypes are made of metals that are not readily corroded by atmospheric action and under proper storage conditions would be very permanent.

In the production of practically all great books, or other records, engravings, etc., electrotypes are used. After serving their purpose in printing the edition many times they are but slightly worn and could be stored compactly in fire-proof and earthquake-proof, dry vaults. Sets of electrotypes, such as those employed in printing the Encyclopedia Britannica, and other reference works, would provide for future generations a considerable knowledge of almost everything of importance pertaining to this era.

Generally speaking, the preservation of records in this way would cost no more than the bullion price of the metal involved in the plates, as otherwise the plates would be remelted and the metal used over.

JOHN S. WRIGHT

SCIENTIFIC BOOKS How to know the Mosses. By ELIZABETH MARIE DUNHAM. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin Co., 1916. 287 pages, illustrated. $1.25. This little book is intended as "a popular

guide to the mosses of the Northeastern United States" according to its subtitle or, as the cover states, "This handbook of mossesthe first intended for use without a microscope -throws open a new and fascinating field of study to the amateur botanist and nature lover. Keys to 80 genera and descriptions of over 150 species are given." In view of the limitations, and considering how difficult it is to really know the mosses thoroughly, Mrs. Dunham's conscientious effort to introduce a few of our most abundant and easily recognized genera and species to a wider acquaintance will certainly lengthen the season of out-door pleasures and interests for those who love nature at all times of the year! For "the mosses and lichens love the damp shade and the wet frosty season when other plants fade." To acquire even a bowing acquaintance with 80 out of the 200 genera represented in our flora and grow to recognize 150 species out of nearly 3,000, is to learn to have eyes that see and appreciate the subtler beauties of form and color.

The drawings in the text and the full-page illustrations will be found helpful and with the exception of a few indispensable technical terms the book is free from pedantry and unnecessary verbiage. E. G. BRITTON

NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN

SPECIAL ARTICLES

THE EFFECT OF FINENESS OF DIVISION OF PULVERIZED LIMESTONE ON THE YIELD OF CRIMSON CLOVER AND LIME REQUIREMENT OF SOILS

THE practical significance which attaches to studies in the application of lime to soils is responsible for experimentation with pulverized limestone of varying degrees of fineness. Frear1 cites, together with his own experiments, the comparatively few investigations pertaining to this problem. It has been stated by some authorities that limestone passing a 10-mesh sieve is satisfactory for field practise, while others have advocated material passing a 60-mesh sieve, some claiming that even finer pulverization is to be preferred. The following experiments were planned in 1914 to throw

1 Frear, W., "Sour Soils and Liming," Dept. Agr. Penn. Bul. 261, 1915.

some light on the comparison of a uniform limestone, which had been subjected to varying degrees of pulverization, with calcium oxide. During the progress of the work, Thomas and Frear2 published results which are similar to those obtained in the present instance.

Several soils which may be regarded as typical of rather extensive fertile areas were obtained through the courtesy of Drs. P. E. Brown, C. E. Thorne, C. A. Mooers, W. J. Schoene and W. P. Kelly; respectively designated as Carrington (Iowa) silt loam, Wooster (Ohio) silt loam, Cumberland (Tennessee) silt loam, Norfolk (Virginia) sandy loam, Sierra (California) sandy loam and Portsmouth (New Jersey) acid muck. Ten-pound earthenware pots were filled with soil and limestone of 20-40, 60-80, 100-200, 200+ mesh and calcium oxide (c. p.) were added in sufficient quantities to satisfy the lime requirements of the various soils as determined by the Veitch method. Fifteen crimson clover plants were grown in each pot maintained under optimum moisture conditions in the greenhouse. A summary of the results obtained on the five more important soils is recorded in Table I. It is evident that in general, in

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

as the fineness of division of limestone increased, the total nitrogen (in gm.) increased. Two-hundred-mesh limestone was again superior to calcium oxide in two of the four instances.

The California soil, being decidedly alkaline, responded unfavorably to the application of limestone. That is, the yield of clover as well as the total nitrogen decreased with increasing fineness of division of pulverized limestone. With the acid muck soil (Portsmouth), however, the results were similar to those obtained with the other typical soils, i. e., an increase in fineness of division was responsible for an increase in crop yield and total nitrogen.

After the clover had been harvested, the lime requirements of the soils were again determined for the purpose of comparing the relative neutralizing efficiency of the different materials. As might be expected from theoretical considerations the lime requirement tended to decrease as a result of the applica

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

tion of limestone increasing in fineness of division as shown in Table III. The calcium oxide does not appear to be quite as valuable as the 200-M. limestone, which may possibly be due to the fact that the former proved initially superior in neutralizing the acidity, but allowed a subsequent accumulation of acidity to take place, while the latter neutralized the acidity more gradually and in a more progressive manner.

The writer has experiments in progress which indicate that increasing the fineness of division of pulverized limestone is responsible for increasing the biological activities such as ammonification, nitrification and nitrogen-fixation. A study is also being made of the effect of leaching upon the relative efficiency of different finenesses of division of pulverized limestone, with and without ammonium sulphate. This is carried out in galvanized iron tanks (containing 130 lbs. of soil) which have stopcocks permitting the collection of drainage water. In a sandy soil the growth of four successive crops indicates that the 60-M. is superior to the 20-M. or the finer grades of limestone, probably because in such deep pots (17 in.) and such a light soil, the finer material is washed down below the root

zone.

NICHOLAS KOPELOFF

RUTGERS COLLEGE,
NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.,

November 3, 1916

ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF

SCIENCE

THE tenth annual meeting of the Illinois State Academy of Science was held at Knox College in Galesburg on February 23 and 24. About one hundred members and delegates and some two hundred citizens of Galesburg attended the various sessions. Over forty new members were elected. Four sessions were held, as follows:

Friday afternoon, a general session at which the following papers were read:

"Safeguarding the Food and Water Supply, a Function of the State," by E. H. S. Bailey.

"Wireless Transmission of Messages in the Olden Time," by Francis E. Nipher.

"Botanical Installation in the Field Museum of Natural History," by Chas. F. Millspaugh.

"The Purpose of Science Teaching in a University," by W. A. Noyes.

"Plant Ecology and its relation to Agriculture,'' by Warren G. Waterman.

"Activated Sludge Process of Sewage Treat ment," by Edward Bartow.

"Contribution of the College to High-school Science Teaching," by John C. Hessler.

On Friday evening, the members of the academy and delegates present and over a hundred citizens of Galesburg enjoyed a banquet at the Galesburg Club. A special session, marking the tenth anniversary of the academy, immediately followed the dinner. At this session, remarks suitable to the occasion were made by the following delegates from other organizations: Professor F. E. Nipher, St. Louis, American Philosophical Society, Academy of Science of St. Louis; Dr. W. A. Noyes, Urbana, National Academy of Sciences; Professor J. E. Wells, Beloit, Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences; Professor H. S. Conard, Grinnell, Iowa Academy of Science; Professor E. H. S. Bailey, Lawrence, Kansas Academy of Science; Professor W. H. Hobbs, Ann Arbor, Michigan Academy of Science; Dr. H. S. Pepoon, Chicago, Chicago Academy of Science; Dr. C. W. East, Springfield, Illinois State Board of Health; Dr. F. W. DeWolf, Urbana, Illinois State Geological Survey; Dr. A. R. Crook, Springfield, Illinois State Museum; Mr. E. B. Vliet, Champaign, Chemical Club, University of Illinois; Professor Edward Bartow, Urbana, Illinois State Water Survey; Professor F. L. Stevens, Urbana, Bacteriological Club, University of Illinois.

The following had accepted invitations to be present at this program but were unable to be pres

« ElőzőTovább »