Science: Snug as a Cat

In his London hotel room last week was Dr. Bailey Willis, 72-year-old geologist-emeritus of Stanford University, attache of the Carnegie Institution, scientific advisor to states and governments.* He had just returned from a 7000-mile trip through Africa. He had walked 500 miles of the way, nicking rocks, sampling gravels, speculating on the waters of the great-lake and big-game country, inspecting all "rift valleys'' to form his own theory as to whether there is a great continental split running from Abyssinia to the Jordan, and if so whether it was formed by tension (sinking) or compression (upthrusting of the sides).

Chipper as ever after his travels, Geologist Willis talked of animals as well as rocks. "Never in my knowledge was I in any danger," said he. "But I took a hunter along as life insurance in certain districts . . . lions are not particularly dangerous. They are generally so well fed they don't bother you. Driving along we scared seven off their kill beside the road. All ran away except the 'old man,' who wagged his tail back and forth. But we didn't try to twist it."