xliv CARNEGIE INSTITUTION 



E. B. Wilson, Columbia University, New York. Grant No. 36. 



For i?ivestigations in experimental embryology, etc. , in Naples. 



$1,000. 



Abstract of Report. — Dr. Wilson utilized this grant to defray the 

 expenses of a visit to the Naples Zoological Station, extending from 

 February to July, during which time he was actively engaged on 

 studies in experimental embryology. His first purpose was to 

 search for available material for the experimental analysis of the 

 early developmental stages in mollusks and annelids, which possess 

 high theoretical interest in their bearings on the general problems 

 of differentiation. He reports a large measure of success in this 

 direction. He found two excellent objects for his research, and 

 made as exhaustive an analysis of them as the time would permit. 

 He demonstrated conclusively the mosaic character of the develop- 

 ment in the molluscan egg, and obtained striking evidence of the 

 self differentiation and specification of embryonic cells. This result 

 is interesting from its bearing on the problem of differentiation and 

 also, perhaps, in even a greater degree, through the firm basis which 

 it gives for the general method and point of view in studies of cellular 

 embryology. 



A second general division of his work included the experimental 

 study of prelocalization in the unsegmented egg, which yielded re- 

 sults of no less interest than the cleavage stages. Of these the most 

 important relate to the embryonic basis of correlation and to the re- 

 lation between quantitative and qualitative prelocalization in the 

 germ. 



Dr. Wilson adds a general comment on the nature of this work to 

 the effect that its principal significance lies in its connection with 

 recent studies of the cellular basis of inheritance and development, 

 taken in connection with experimental studies of heredity such as 

 those that have grown out of the rediscovery of the Mendelian law. 

 He is fully persuaded that there is now a very good prospect of 

 making an essential advance toward an understanding of the actual 

 mechanism of hereditary transmission, and expresses the hope that 

 the studies in this direction may receive their due share of support. 



H. V. Wilson, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Grant 

 No. 33. For morphology and classification of deep sea sponges. 



$1,000. 



Abstract of Report. — In order to complete his investigation of the 

 deep sea sponges of the Pacific ocean, Professor Wilson visited the 



