SEPTEMBER 27, 1930] NATURE 489

Eleventh International Zoological Congress. 'l.1HE Eleventh International Congress of Zoologists, to prove nothing more than the distribution of mutants which met in Padua on Sept. 3-11, under the by human agency. His title would have been more presidency of Prof. Paolo Enriques, attracted more applicable to Prof. Ghigi's account of crossings in than six hundred members, representing thirty pheasants and guinea-fowls with the formation of countries. The British delegates were Dr. F. A. alleged new species, themselves fertile but sterile when Bather and Dr. G. C. Robson (representing H.M. crossed; Ghigi finds that sterility and fertility are Government), Dr. K. Jordan, Dr. H. W. Parker, sex-linked characters, and regards hybridisation as an Lieut.-Col. J. Stephenson (Indian Government}, and important factor in evolution. Prof. A. Willey. In the Aula Magna of the Univer• Birds also were the subject of Prof. 0. Riddle's ex• sity, surrounded by memorials of Galileo, Morgagni, periments on the relation of metabolism to sex ; meta• Vesalius, Falloppio, Casseri, and Vallisnieri (nor should bolism is influenced by temperatur~ more in males we here forget Linacre and Harvey), the Congress was than in females, and the amount of hromoglobin is also formally opened by H. E. Alfredo Rocco, Minister of affected ; the sexes and their corresponding metabolic Grace, Justice, and Culture, as representative of the types are both reversible. Other papers on sexual Government and as president of the Italian Committee characters were contributed by A. Arcangeli, A. for International Intellectual Co-operation. He ex• Banta, E. Caroli, J. de Mallasz, and E. Padoa, and on pressed the deep practical interest felt by the Italian hybrids by F. Cavazza and G. Montalenti, while F. Government in zoological studies, alluded to the con• Poche discussed the possibility of a third sex. tributions of Italians from Leonardo da Vinci to the Returning to problems of evolution, one notes Prof. present day, and mentioned the Zoological Station of Enriques' studies in Radiolaria because they show Naples and the Biological Institute of Messina as similar minute characters repeated through generically schools open to the students of the whole world. differing forms, much as the varieties of wheat are Prof. Enriques, in an eloquent address, laid particu• paralleled in rye. Dr. Robson's researches on the lar stress on the Fascist organisation of the Congress: origin and descent of Octopoda lead him to attribute the vast concepts and ideals of zoology, he said, led much to orthogenesis. In connexion with Cephalo• the mind up to that rarefied atmosphere in which the pods, the important paper on their nervous system spirit of Giotto hovered when, under the eyes of by E. Sereni should be mentioned. Prof. A. Sewert• Dante, he traced the poem of the Gospel on the walls zoff announced an evolutionary principle as " the of the neighbouring chapel ; inspired by like ideals, substitution of functions ", which means the replace• every Italian sought to be worthy of his country's past ment of an organ by a totally different organ that and to base new works on the ancient traditions ; but performs a function which is analogous or biologically such a national ideal could not develop without the equivalent to that of the suppressed organ. In the friendly co-operation of all civilised countries, and in reduction of organs, Sewertzoff claims that those parts that belief he tendered an affectionate welcome to the disappear first which are the last to be formed embryo• zoologists of every tongue. Among those who replied logically. was the veteran Richard Hertwig, who alluded to the Other papers with a general bearing might be cited story of St. Antony of Padua preaching to the fishes, did space permit, but the practical side of zoology and to the Paduan studies of Paracelsus and Goethe. demands mention, since a whole section was devoted to " There is much talk ", he said, " of a United States silkworm culture. The address by Prof. Pigorini, of Europe : that does not satisfy zoologists ; we wish director of the Bacological Station at Padua, did to see all the States of the world united in the interests indeed deal with important embryological questions. of civilisation and of science." Among the papers here were two by Prof. Matsumura The scientific communications were presented to on the silkworms of Japan. A visit to the Station fifteen sections and to general meetings. Since they proved of exceptional interest, and the preparations numbered more than two hundred and fifty, it is of larvro by Dr. Amelia Tonon were much admired. scarcely possible to mention more than a few of those Here also may be recalled the R. Stazione di Polti• dealing with wider questions. In an opening discourse cultura near Rovigo, where experiments are conducted on " Genetics and Evolution ", Prof. Caullery main• on numerous breeds of gallinaceous and other birds. tained that the mutants made known by genetici_sts This last was visited during an excursion which in• are not really new formations but combinations of cluded an inspection of Count Arrigoni's ornithological pre-existing genotypes ; that, though they may exist collection with welcome refreshment at his villa, Ca where they first appear, they would be eliminated by Oddo, and a banquet at Rovigo, where the Minister of natural selection and would not give rise to new species Agriculture spoke. Another excursion was to the distinguished by the criterion of interspecific sterility. Royal Villa at Stra, where the company of four It is difficult, he said, to regard evolution as due to hundred was entertained by Count Giusti, Mayor of successive mutations. Padua, to such effect that " grave and reverend " Biogeography and Evolution " was the theme of signiors " were seen to join in the subsequent fox-trots. Prof. G. Colosi, who, in most explanations of the On Sunday there was a delightful trip to Venice and known facts, finds difficulties (as of contradictory the islands of its lagoon. A ball in the fine rooms of the physiographic changes) that are obviated by Rosa's Casino Pedrocchi and a final dinner offered by the theory of hologenesis. This assumes a world-wide ex• local committee in the great and ancient Sala della tension of the original life-forms, with parallel ortho• Ragione were among other general entertainments. genesis, so that the same or similar species arose in Special invitations were extended by certain ladies of widely-separate regions; thus land-bridges or sea• Padua to all ladies attendiog the Congress. connexions are unnecessary. Dealing with the distri• Some of the general meetings were held in a new bution of populations, from insect epidemics to the Aula of Pathological Anatomy, formally opened by races of man, Prof. F. Bodenheimer attributed the Prof. Cagnetti, while sections met in the various chief influence to climatic conditions. On the other aulro of the new university buildings. In the Zoologi• hand, Dr. Boettger's account of "Artbildung unter cal Institute a room was provided for exhibits by dem Einfluss des Menschen ", exemplified by the snails members, and hard by was an exhibition of books and Agriolimax loovis and Potamopyrgus crystallinus, seems apparatus. Here Koristka of Milan showed a new No. 3178, VoL. 126] © 1930 Nature Publishing Group 490 NATURE [SEPTEMBER 27, 1930

" Stand A" for monocular microscopes and " Stand co-ordinating body. These congresses would be more U " capable of taking various forms of binocular with useful if papers dealing with relatively special and either single or double objectives ; Reichert of Vienna trivial points were eliminated, especially when the re• exhibited microscopes, microtomes, projection and sults have already been published. Attention should photographic apparatus; Zeiss of Jena had a particu• be concentrated on general problems, towards the dis• larly interesting show of projection apparatus ; A. C. cussion of which authorities in various branches might Zambelli of Turin showed thermostats for embryo• contribute ; and on such forms of co-operation as logical research and microscope observation in vivo. biological surveys, studies of migration, and especially Allusion may here be made to the cinema film of action requiring government assistance. At present young orang-utans shown by Prof. G. Brandes of the Commission on Nomenclature seems to be the body Dresden, and the remarkable results displayed by that continually does really practical international Prof. Storch of Graz in his cinema studies of small work, however restricted its field may be. What the crustacea under the microscope. In the Library of the Permanent Committee of the Congress does between University, Profs. Ageno and Ducceschi had arranged whiles, not even its members seem to know. an exhibit of old books relating to biological science ; The preceding remarks are not intended to reflect in an excellent illustrated catalogue was provided. any way on the organisation of the Padua Congress, At the concluding session of the Congress reports for which high praise is due to the energy of Prof. were presented from the Commissions on Parasitology Enriques and the labours of the general secretary, and on Nomenclature. It was decided that in future Dr. Fausta Bertolini, with her lively and courteous the Congress should be held at intervals of five years. ~ta!f of students of both sexes. Padua preserves the In view of the large number of such meetings, the mt1mate and homely character of an ancient university decision is probably wise, but it is to be hoped that city, and all its inhabitants united in so warm a welcome care will be taken not· to clash with other congresses that the chief characteristic of the Congress now past in allied sciences. The International Institute of In• was its friendly and homely character; and that, after tellectual Co-operation might be asked to act as a all, is the chief value of these international gatherings.

The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Centenary Celebrations. HE Centenary Celebrations of the opening of the consisted of a series of exhibits illustrating the work T Liverpool and Manchester Railway were opened of the pioneers, Cugnot, Trevithick, Murray, Blenkin• on Sept. 13 in St. George's Hall, Liverpool, by the sop, Hedley, Hackworth, Stephenson, and others, American Ambassador, General Dawes, and were and another series relating particularly to the history brought to a conclusion on Sept. 20 by a final perform• of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, much of ance of the great Pageant of Transport which had the material for which came from the Liverpool been shown night by night in Wavertree Play• Public Library. ground. There was much to recall the famous locomotive Enacted on a stage 300 feet long and by some 3500 trials at Rainhill in 1829, between the Rocket, Sans performers, the Pageant of Transport was designed Pareil, Novelty, and Perseverance, and one of the to show the various methods of transport by animals, original cylinders of the Novelty, recently procured sledges, carts, wagons and coaches, and by the early from an old works near Rainhill Station, was on view. railways. The final scene recalled the events of The fellow cylinder for many years has been in the Sept. 15, 1830, when the Duke of Wellington, Sir Science Museum. Of especial interest to serious Robert Peel, Mr. Huskisson, and other notable students of railway history was the exhibition of a persons set out in the first of a procession of eight recently discovered letter from Robert Daglish refer• trains from Liverpool to Manchester. A replica of ring to locomotive engines he made in 1812 and 1816. the original train had been constructed, and it was Hitherto nothing has been known of these Lancashire drawn by a replica of the engine N orthumbrian which engines, and inquiries at the colliery at which they in 1830 was driven by George Stephenson himself. worked have already brought some interesting facts In the W avertree Playground-a large open space to light. kept solely for games-was also an exhibition of old A Handbook and Programme of the Centenary and modern locomotives, together with examples of Celebrations was available, as were also a catalogue up-to-date carriages and wagons. It need scarcely of the exhibition and a bibliography of the printed and be said that a copy of the Rocket was to be seen, while illustrated material on the Liverpool and Manchester the Lion, an engine built for the Liverpool and Railway in the Liverpool Reference Library. The Manchester Railway in 1838, but now the property London, Midland and Scottish Railway issued " One of the Liverpool Engineering Society, was under Hundred Years of Railways", written by Mr. Dendy steam and wo'tked " a train of 1830" carrying Marshall; while Prof. G. S. Veitch's book, "The passengers around a circular track. Struggle for the Liv~rpool and Manchester Railway ", While the pageant and exhibition and the shows was published just before the celebrations. at Wavertree provided for the popular taste, an Of other events connected with the celebrations exhibition of historic material, models, etc., in St. mention may be made of the commemoration service George's Hall provided food for the student and in the Cathedral, the unveiling of a memorial tablet specialist and fascination for boys and girls. The on the first railway station in Manchester, the per• ·celebrations have been held under the auspices of the formance of a pageant of the industries of Liverpool corporations of Liverpool and Manchester and with by the workers of the railway, and the public lectures the support of the London, Midland and Scottish in Picton Hall arranged by the Liverpool Corporation. Railway. The responsibility for the exhibition in At least two additions will be made to the nation's St. George's Hall lay with a committee of which historic machines as a result of the celebration, as Mr. Robert Gladstone was chairman, and its success the cylinder of the Novelty is to be placed on permanent was largely due to his energy and foresight. While exhibition in Rainhill Station, and the locomotive there were scores of model locomotives and a splendid Lion is to be placed on a pedestal in Lime Street model railway to be seen, the chief features of interest Station, Liverpool. No. 3178, VoL. 126] © 1930 Nature Publishing Group