100 YEARS AGO

Intentional introductions of wild species, however, have almost without exception resulted disastrously ⃛. In 1872 Mr. W. Bancroft Espeut imported four pairs of the Indian mongoose from Calcutta into Jamaica for the purpose of destroying the “cane-piece rat.” Ten years later it was estimated that the saving to the colony through the work of this animal amounted to 100,000l. annually. Then came a sudden change in the aspect of affairs. It was found that the mongoose destroyed all ground-nesting birds, and that the poultry as well as the insectivorous reptiles and batrachians of the island were being exterminated by it. Injurious insects increased in consequence a thousand-fold; the temporary benefits of the introduction were speedily wiped away, and the mongoose became a pest. Domestic animals, including young pigs, kids, lambs, newly-dropped calves, puppies and kittens, were destroyed by it, while it also ate ripe bananas, pine-apples, young corn, avocado pears, sweet potatoes, cocoas, yams, peas, sugar-cane, meat, and salt provisions and fish. Now, we are told, nature has made another effort to restore the balance. With the increase of insects, due to the destruction by the mongooses of their destroyers, has come an increase of ticks, which are destroying the mongoose, and all Jamaicans rejoice.

From Nature 21 October 1897.

50 YEARS AGO

A project for a Central Library of the World, drawn up during the German occupation of France, with the dual objects of providing more effectively for the preservation of the documents on which human culture rests and making their utilization easier and more widespread, is of interest in relation to the programme of work now contemplated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. ⃛ The preliminary scheme summarized in this pamphlet contemplates the establishment of the organisation, to be called the Bibliothèque Centrale du Monde, by a statute guaranteeing the absolute inviolability of the headquarters of the organisation, which is to be regarded as a world reserve; the territory where it is located should belong to no nation⃛.

From Nature 25 October 1947.