Half a Million Pacific Insects

THE Bishop Museum, Honolulu, is conducting a research project on the entire insect fauna of Micro nesia—the first time a project of this size has been attempted in Pacific entomology.

Field research for the project was undertaken for a period of six years from the end of 1945 by the Pacific Science Board. The Museum’s job now is to process over 400,000 speci mens collected during that period, and distribute these to over 115 col laborating scientists in 12 countries.

Reports from the scientists will be collated at the Museum and later published. It is expected the pro ject will be completed in 1957.

Finance for the research pro gramme is being provided by the National Science Foundation of Washington, USA, which recently provided a grant of $30,000 —the second grant in two years.

Apart from their value to science, the findings of the project will help pest-control generally and thus safeguard the economy and public health of Island territories.

U Mrs. Elizabeth S. Williams, form erly with the American Red Cross service in the South West Pacific during World War 11, and well known in post-war days for her ex tensive travels in the area, writing from Philadelphia Hospital, Amabala City, Punjab, India —where she has been a voluntary worker at this Presbyterian Mission hospital for

some time —says that she expects to again visit Fiji and Tahiti in 1956.

Students of the Central Medical School, Fiji, moved into their quarters at the new medical school at Tamavua in August. The school was officially opened by the Queen during the Royal Visit last Decem ber but it was then incomplete.