Prof. Jules Schokalsky to Shore Work Connected with Naval Research and HE Distinguished Russian Geographer Prof

734 NATURE MAY 11, 1940, VoL. 145 they appear to have on the whole a wider distribu distribution upon existing ocean currents must be tion than most coastal fishes, still seem to be fallacious. limited mainly by temperature. In the case of the As an example of the adaptation of a planktonic abyssal forms, the contour of the sea floor may fauna to hydrographical conditions Dr. Kemp play an important part in limiting their range, and mentioned the work of Mackintosh, who had shown it may be noted that the submarine ridge running that plankton at the time it approaches the Ant from Scotland to Iceland and Greenland, less than arctic Convergence sinks to a deeper level and in 1,000 metres in depth, is the northern limit of this way is carried back to its proper habitat in the Macruridro, the most characteristic family of the Antarctic. The deep-water prawns of the bottom-living oceanic fishes. Our knowledge of genus Acanthephyra, which are abundant in the distribution of the bathypelagic fishes is still tropical and temperate parts of the oceans, have very incomplete, but it may be said that a number recently been investigated in detail, and have been of them have a cosmopolitan range and that recent found to have become differentiated in the various investigations have tended to add greatly to this oceans. The species are separated by quite trivial number. Some of them are capable of extensive characters (the number of spines on the telson), vertical migrations, and it may be that they are which are, however, astonishingly constant. One able to negotiate barriers which would be effective species in the Atlantic shows a widely discontinuous in limiting the spread of coastal fishes. distribution. Dr. Stanley Kemp emphasized the importance Dr. G. P. Bidder wondered whether the length to the general question of marine distribution of of the larval life was really so important a factor the comparative stability of species in the sea, and in the dispersal of sponges, and suggested that in instanced the occurrence of identical species of the case of calcareous sponges these might be fish and crustacea on both sides of the Isthmus of carried to new localities on the bottoms of ships. Panama in support of the view that species can He pointed out that the largest and fulest specimens remain identical over a long period of time. He found at Naples and Plymouth were collected from thought that this would account for some of vessels anchored in harbour for a month or so. the instances of bipolarity, and mentioned a Prof. W. Garstang suggested that an interesting Euphausian common in the north and south but approach to the problem as far as pelagic animals absent over a large stretch of the middle Atlantic. are concerned would be to tabulate the differences If species have remained unaltered for long in distribution of those forms with large and small periods of time, any arguments which base larval stages respectively. OBITUARIES Prof. Jules Schokalsky to shore work connected with naval research and HE distinguished Russian geographer Prof. Jules education, spending three years at the National T Schokalsky died in Leningrad on March 26 at Physical Observatory under the great meteorologist, the age of eighty-four. He was widely known through Dr. H. Wild. Mter this he joined the teaching staff out Europe and America, where he made many friends at the Naval Academy and was professor and then at international scientific gatherings. As a boy he emeritus professor of physical geography, meteorology lived much in the country and acquired a love of and oceanography from 1910 until 1930. For a time Nature by his comradeship with a son of the poet he was librarian of the Central Library of the Russian Pushkin, and this resthetic sentiment opened the way Admiralty, and he ended his academic career and to serious scientific study. He led a life of ceaseless his life as professor in the University of Leningrad. activity from the time he entered the Naval School He found time for innumerable honorary appoint at St. Petersburg in 1874 until his death, and for ments, culminating in the presidency of the Imperial forty-five years I have had the privilege of enjoying Russian Geographical Society, which he held for his helpful friendship. Even the shock of the Russian many years, and on his retirement was appointed revolution of 1917 did not check the continuity of honorary president of the same Society under the his work; to him science was superior to politics. U.S.S.R. He continued under the Soviet system in Leningrad He was a tireless writer with neai:-ly five hundred to give full expression to the enthusiasm for oceano entries of publications under his name, many of them, graphy and cartography which had animated him of course, being official reports, summaries and during half a century under the Empire. criticisms. His most important book was the Schokalsky studied at the Naval School in St. "Treatise on Oceanography", in Russian, published Petersburg, and in 1877 he went to sea as a midship in 1917. This is a work of originality and distinction, man in the Imperial Navy. After two years he turned showing much ingenuity in the design of illustrative © 1940 Nature Publishing Group No. 3680, MAY 11, 1940 NATURE 735 diagrams. He produced or edited with valuable been very much of a landmark in the later agricultural introductions many atlases of the physical features history in India. Similar bodies have more recently of Russia. He paid special attention to hypometrical been formed in connexion with other industries, but work and completed a map of the altitudes of the idea came from the Mackenna Committee, and European Russia in six sheets on the scale of was probably the idea of Mackenna himself. 1 : 2,500,000. In 1920 he went back to Burma, and for the next Schokalsky planned and carried out an important five years he was the life and soul of many develop series of researches on the temperature regime of ment projects which date from that period. Mter Lake Ladoga during the years 1897-1902. The retirement to England in 1925, he was almost at supreme contribution which he made to oceano once appointed a member of the Royal Commission graphy was the organization of physical investigations on Agriculture in India, and toured the country in the Black Sea. This was carried out under his again between 1926 and 1928. The chief result of personal leadership during 1924-27 in conditions of that Commission has been the establishment of the much difficulty and even privation. The result was Imperial Council of Agricultural Research and it is to throw new light on the remarkable physical and impossible not to see Mackenna's hand in a good deal chemical changes proceeding in the lifeless deep of the organization of that Council, which has water of this anomalous land-locked basin. A special become the centre of scientific activity in connexion feature of the work was the collection for the first with Indian agriculture. time of very long cores of deep-sea deposits ; the After his final retirement from India, Mackenna length of these ranged up to one and a half metres. continued his interest in scientific work, especially as Prof. Schokalsky had much charm of manner !Lnd concerns Indian agriculture. He remained active to the great kindness of heart combined with dignity and a end and was still the same inspiring personality as he fine sense of honour. He made himself .welcome had been in his prime. His principal claim to scientific wherever he went despite the deafness which latterly recognition is that he never ceased to use the strong grew upon him. His hiter years were cheered by the influence which he could p.xert, for the encourage companionship of a devoted daughter, herself dis ment of research, while he had the faculty of inspiring t.inguished in the modern science of soil analysis. those who were entrusted with the carrying out of HuGH RoBERT MILL. the work which he had in mind. H. H. MANN. Sir James Mackenna, C.I.E. Sir Gilbert Barling, Bart. SIR JAMES MACKENNA, who died on April 3, aged SIR GILBERT BARLING, BART., died suddenly of sixty-seven, belonged to the small band of members heart failure at his home in Edgbaston on April 27, of the Indian Civil Service who, though not scientific within three days of his eighty-fifth birthday. Sir workers themselves, employed .their long service in Gilbert was the second vice-chancellor (afterwards pro India in encouraging the application of science to chancellor) of the University of Birmingham which he the solution of the agricultural problems of the served for twenty years, having succeeded Charles country. I first met him in 1904, when he had· Gabriel Beale in that office in 1913. From 1913 until been some ten years in Burma and was already 1933 he gave invaluable service to the University, recognized as one of the most successful directors of which derived great benefit from his forceful per agriculture of his time. Even then he showed sonality and his unremitting personal devotion to its those qualities which distinguished him throughout interests. Himself actively interested in outdoor his career-a thorough grasp of the problems of rural sports, he did much to encourage the athletic side development, a strong belief that agricultural research of university education. At the annual meeting of was likely to lead to a great impt:ovement in Indian the Birmingham United Hospital, only a week before crops and stock, and a faculty for getting things his death, Sir Gilbert was presented with an address done.

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