Abstract
II. BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES IN the preceding article* something has been said of the state of physics and chemistry in the five universities at the great city of west Szechuan, Chengtu. On the whole, the biological work there is even more active. On the West China Union (Huahsi) University campus some excellent taxonomic and ecological work is being done. Thus Dr. Chang Ming-Chun of Huahsi specializes on gastropod systematics and embryology, while Dr. Liu Cheng-Chao of Yenching is a really outstanding authority on Asiatic Amphibia. His collections and data are astonishing, including torrent adaptations, strange breeding habits, etc., and many new species, such as Vibrissaphora boringii, a whiskered frog. There are great opportunities for experimental embryology here, which have so far not been taken advantage of. Dr. Liu himself goes on collecting expeditions in the Tibetan borderlands which involve real hardship and danger. For comparative physiology also there are great opportunities, for example, to work with the giant earthworms of the Mount Omei region, species of Pheretima, commonly up to 3 ft. long and at least 1 in. in diameter.
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NEEDHAM, J. SCIENCE IN WESTERN SZECHUAN. Nature 152, 372–374 (1943). https://doi.org/10.1038/152372a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/152372a0
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