l\l I I 1 \CE OF STARVATION" OF INSECTS OX OFFSPRING. 2Q 



unfavorable changes in the reserve substances out of which eggs 

 are developed in the chrysalids. On the other hand, we have to 

 do hen- with a special regulation of quantitative relations, con- 

 n-ting of two factors: the number of eggs laid by the females 

 undergoes in general considerable reduction, but the egg si/e 

 does not exhibit any changes, which points to unchanged quantity 

 of food substances for the developing embryo in each "starved" 

 egg- 



The normal si/e of eggs laved by starved females together with 

 the decreased numl>er of the eggs speak in favor of the supposi- 

 tion that in case of insufficient feeding of an animal the food 

 substances may l>e exclusively used up by a certain number of 

 eggs which develop better than the remaining, owing to their 

 arrangement in the ovary or to other conditions. This is caused 

 by the competition between separate elements, which undoubt- 

 edly takes place in the starved ovary analogous to the struggle 

 between individuals of a brood, which develops in unfavorable 

 conditions. Owing to this rivalry, only part of the eggs un- 

 dergo development , directly or indirectly at the expense of neigh- 

 boring elements, as the nuinlxr of eggs contained in "starved" 

 chrysalids is considerably larger than the number of tully devel- 

 oped eggs in the mature females. Notwithstanding the capacity 

 of certain "starved " eggs to develop at the expen-e of other eggs, 

 thi- average si/e does not exceed essentially the normal average 

 limit, which points to the dependence of e^x si/e on certain 

 internal factors by which the limits of the growth of eggs are 

 determined. These factors are undoubtedly synonymous with 

 "genes" which determine in genetic, d sense the si/e of eggs 

 independently of the si/e of the female- by which the eggs are 

 produced. In spite of this evolutive independence during the 

 development of a fetus or of an e^u. there probably exists a certain 

 limit of degree and of duration of starvation which may be applied 

 to a female, beyond which limit the progeny does not attain its 

 normal si/e. The assumption that this limit may easily be 

 transgressed is supported by the fact that certain small unfavor- 

 able changes in feeding bird- cause a considerable diminution of 

 their eggs and even (heck the further processes of development 

 of the sexual element-. This limit was undoubtedly transgressed 

 in the experiment- made by YYoltereck ('08 -'n.) in which the 



