100 YEARS AGO

Is New Zealand a Zoological Region?

Will you allow me to make one remark on the letter of Mr. H. Farquhar, advocating an affirmative answer to the above question. It is this: Throughout the whole argument there is an assumption which vitiates it, namely, that the amount of resemblance of the New Zealand fauna to that of Australia is what alone determines its resemblance to that of the Australian Region. Apparently, Mr. Farquhar does not believe that New Caledonia and the New Hebrides belong to the Australian Region, otherwise he would not adduce the fact of the land-shells of New Zealand being related to those of the above-named islands as an argument in his favour; and if these are omitted, then must New Guinea be also omitted. And if Australia by itself is to become a “Zoological Region,” New Guinea and its surrounding islands must be also a “Region,” the Central Pacific Islands another, and the Sandwich Islands yet another! This indicates the difficulties that arise if the Australian Region, as originally defined by Dr. Sclater and myself — and which I still hold to be far more natural than any subdivision can make it — be rejected.

Alfred R. Wallace.

From Nature 18 January 1900.

50 YEARS AGO

A new insect-proof packaging material which is cheap and very easy to handle has been developed by the Pest Infestation Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. There is considerable wastage in packaged foods, resulting from the penetration of insects from outside. It was found that a layer of sand-paper formed an effective barrier, but did not prove practicable in use. Paper and corrugated cardboard impregnated with D.D.T. were unsuccessful because the insects bored straight through and so did not remain long enough in contact with the insecticide to pick up a lethal dose. The final solution was to use cellulose wadding, several layers thick, impregnated with D.D.T. When faced with this material the insect, after getting through the first layer, wanders in all directions and so takes up enough D.D.T. to be killed. Not one insect has ever got through this material in the course of numerous laboratory tests.

From Nature 21 January 1950.