BIOIvOGY, EXPERIMENTAL — DAVENPORT. lOI 



mated with individuals obtained (as nymphs, and reared with the sexes 

 separated) in nature. Other matings have been made from material 

 from various localities and representing several species. While the 

 eggs of most of these are due to hatch in the spring of 1906, it is 

 hoped that they may be hastened somewhat. The characters whose 

 inheritance and variation are being studied in this connection are very 

 diverse, including alternative and blending, integral and graduated. 



As opportunity offered, experiments with other insects have been 

 tried and a number of them are still being continued. These are 

 chieflj^ concerned with the variations produced by changed environ- 

 ment and the inheritance, if any, of such variations. The principal 

 insects used in these studies are hia Isabella, Spilosoma virginica, and 

 i5"5/z^?«^?z<?a(rr<?« among the Lepidoptera, and Lena lapponica,L.scripta, 

 Gastroidea polygoma, G. cyanea, Crioceris asparagi, C. i2-p7inctata, 

 and Labiodcrma clivicollU among the Coleoptera. 



The collection of local meteorological data is of great importance 

 to the station. A summary is given at pages 105-106. 



REPORT OF ANNE M. LUTZ. 



The work of the year has been divided between the duties attend- 

 ant upon the secretar}- of the station and the search for the inter- 

 pretation of the laws of heredity in the germ glands of various 

 plants and animals. A considerable number of species of animals 

 have been collected, chiefly insects, and their germ glands sectioned 

 and mounted secondarih' for a reference cabinet, but primarily with 

 the view of discovering suitable material for h3^bridization experi- 

 ments. Recentl}' the collection has been limited chiefl}'^ to two 

 families of Coleoptera, Coccinellidse and Chrysomelidae, and as many 

 representative species of each obtained as pos.sible. Whenever obtain- 

 able, the late larvae and pupae have been selected in preference to 

 adults. A fairly representative collection has been secured for the 

 study of problems in mind. 



Progress has been made on the solution of the problem of the 

 infertility of the reciprocal crosses of long and short styled Fago- 

 pyrum fagopyrum. Work on the long crossed with the short has 

 been completed, but the reciprocal, involving more delicate cj^to- 

 logical details, was found to require better fixation than was obtained 

 in the original lot, and a crop is now growing for this purpose. 

 Fertilization in this case will be controlled within doors, and some 

 of the dangers of error eliminated. 



Early in July two species of Gastroidea, namel}- (j. cyaiiea and 

 G. polygoni, were found feeding together and freely interbreeding. 



