Biologisches CentraMatt. 



Unter Mitwirkung von 

 Dr. K. Goebel und Dr. R. Hertwig 



Professor der Botanik Professor der Zoologie 



in Miinchen, 



herausgegeben von 



Dr. J. Rosentlial 



Prof, der Physiologic in Erlangen. 



Der Abonnementspreis fiir 12 Hefte betragt 20 Mark jahrlieh. 

 Zu beziehen durch alle Buchhandlungen und Postanstalten. 



Die Herren Miutrbelter werdeu ersuoht, alle Beltrag-e HUH dem Gesamtgebiete der HoUuik 

 au Hervn Prof. Dr. Goebel, Mtinohen, Luisenntr. 27, Beitrage aus dem Gebiete der Zooloifie, 

 rgrl. Anatomic uad Entwickelungsgeachichte an Hrrn Prof. Dr. R. Hertwig-. Miinchen, 

 alte Akademie, alle nbrijcen an Herru Prof. Dr. Rosentlial, Erlangen, Physiolog-. Institut 



einsenden zn wollen. 



Bd. XXXIII. 20. Oktobe^l913. J& 10. 



In halt: Mast, Loeb's Mechanistic Conception of v Life. Correns und Goldschmidt, Die Vercrbung 

 und Bestimmung des Geschleclites. -- Seuerov, Die Zweckmiifsigkeit des Lebens und die 

 Regulation der Organismen. Kiatt, Experimentelle Untersuchungen avvischen Kojmlatiou 

 uucl Eiablage beim Schwammspinner. v. Reichenau f . 



Loeb's Mechanistic Conception of Life. 

 By S. 0. Mast. 



The "analysis of life [psychical and ethical as well as physio- 

 logical] from a purely physico-chemical view-point" has been 

 Loeb's aim in practically all of his work. In a recent volume, 

 consisting of a number of so called essays, he has made an attempt 

 to present in popular form the more important of the results attained. 

 A book containing what may truly be called the essence of the 

 life-work of a man with a reputation such as Loeb has, especially 

 when it deals with a subject of such profound significance as the 

 phenomena of life, can not fail to be of universal interest. 



Practically every fundamental problem of biology is raised in 

 some form or another in this volume altho the author deals specif- 

 ically w r ith only a few. Fertilization, heredity, morphogenesis and 

 behavior, including psychical and ethical, are the principal problems 

 discussed; they occur repeatedly in the different chapters sometimes 

 with little variation. Regarding these problems Loeb draws the 

 general conclusion based largely on the results of his own investiga- 

 tions, that they have been or can be reduced to purely physico- 



1) From the Zoological Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University. 



2) The Mechanistic Conception of Life, by Jacques Loeb, The University 

 of Chicago Press, 1912. 232 pages. 



XXXIII. 38 



