DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS. 125 



Second International Congress of Eugenics. 



This Department was called upon to assist in organizing and carrying 

 through this congress, which met September 22 to 28, 1921, at the American 

 Museum of Natural History, New York, and for one day at Cold Spring 

 Harbor. Dr. C. C. Little served as secretary-general and Dr. H. H. Laughlin 

 as chairman of the Committee on Exhibits. The congress was supported by 

 leading geneticists and by investigators in eugenics, as well as by numerous 

 persons interested in the social applications of these subjects. The proceed- 

 ings of the congress are being published. As there were 500 members of 

 the congress and over 5,000 persons visited the exhibits, it is thought that the 

 participation of the Department in this congress was justified by the increased 

 popular interest awakened in genetical research. 



Special Activities of and Changes in Staff. 



A severe loss has been experienced by the Department in the resignation of 

 Assistant Director Little on July 1 , to become president of the University of 

 Maine. During his three years at this Department he made some discoveries 

 of fundamental importance and stimulated the spirit of cooperation not only 

 inside the Department but also between the Department and geneticists gen- 

 erally. Fortunately, we may look forward to his continued association with 

 this department in his genetical research. 



The work of the Department is gradually crystallizing about a few main 

 centers: First, the mammal work, of which the experimental work is now 

 focused upon mice, both because of their rapid breeding, their relatively slight 

 cost, and the large amount of work already done on them. Here Doctors 

 Little and MacDowell are primarily in charge, with a number of assistants 

 and summer collaborators. The experimental work on mammals fits in closely 

 with the eugenics work, which is largely statistical, and in which Dr. Harris's 

 biometric laboratory is of special assistance. Besides Dr. Harris, the principal 

 investigators in this group are the Director, Doctors Laughlin, Banker, and 

 Estabrook, Miss Louise A. Nelson, and assistants. Second, the chromosome 

 work on Datura under the charge of Dr. A. F. Blakeslee, with Dr. John Bell- 

 ing cooperating in the cytological work and Mr. Farnham assisting in garden 

 and field and a number of assistants and summer collaborators; and on Diptera 

 by Doctors Metz and Anderson and assistants. In addition, there is the sex 

 work on pigeons by Dr. Riddle and his assistants, and on Cladocera by Dr. 

 Banta, with an assistant and the temporary collaboration of Mr. L. A. Brown. 



