No. 2, December, 1921] GENETICS 85 



534. Kappert, H, Untersuchungen iiber den Merkmalskomplex glatte-runzlige Samen- 

 oberflache bei der Erbse. [Studies on the character-complex smooth-wrinkled surface of peas.] 

 Zeitschr. Indukt. Abstamm.- u. Vererb. 24: 185-210. 5 fig. 1920.— The 4 characters evident 

 on crossing smooth and wrinkled peas are: (1) Appearance of the seed, whether smooth or 

 wrinkled; (2) capacity for water absorption, whether high or low; (3) form of the starch grains, 

 whether long or round; and (4) nature of the starch, whether the grains are separate or clumped. 

 — The author takes exception to Darbishire's statement that these characters are inherited 

 independently. On the contrary, all are caused by the same factor. — A statistical study was 

 made of the form of the starch grain in the parental and hybrid generations. For an ex- 

 pression of form a "breadth index" was used which is the breadth of the starch grain expressed 

 as a percentage of the length. The hybrid was intermediate between the 2 parents in respect 

 to this character. — C. M. Woodworth. 



535. KoTTUR, G. L. Cross-fertilization and sterility in cotton II. Agric. Jour. India 16: 

 406^09. 1921. — Evidence presented in a former paper (see Bot. Absts. 9, Entry 241) that 

 continuous self-fertilization of strains of Gossypium herbaceum and G. neglectum did not induce 

 sterility is confirmed by experience with "one or more strains" of Dharwar-American ((?. 

 hirsutum). The author attributes increased vigor of Fi to a combination of recognizable 

 parental characters and states that "cottons which are alike in all or most of their characters, 

 however, do not show any improvement by crossing." In a hybrid between G. herbaceum 

 and G. neglectum, Fi showed same kinds and degree of sterility as parents, and Fj and F3 a greater 

 amount. A type of complete sterility is described accompanied by vegetative peculiarities 

 (abnormal leaf color, etc.) not seen in parents and Fi, but affecting about 7 per cent of Fj 

 individuals and from to 20.5 per cent in different F3 progenies. — T. H. Kearney. 



536. Lbnz. [German rev. of: Bucura, C. Uber Hamophilie beim Weibe. (On haemo- 

 philia in women.) Wien u. Leipzig, 1920.] Zeitschr. Indukt. Abstamm.- u. Vererb. 26: 

 299-300. 1921. 



537. Lenz. [German rev. of: Goldschmidt, R. Einfiihrung in die Vererbungswissen- 

 schaft. Zwanzig Vorlesungen fiir Studierende, Aerzte, Ziichter. Dritte, neubearbeitete 

 Aufiage. (Introduction to the science of genetics. 20 lessons for students, physicians, breed- 

 ers.) 3rd rev. ed., 519 p., 178 fig. W. Engelmann: Leipzig, 1920.] Biol. Zentralbl. 41: 382-383. 

 1921. 



538. Lenz. [German rev. of: Lundborg, H. Hereditary transmission of genot3rpical 

 deaf-mutism. Hereditas 1 : 35^0. 1920 (see Bot. Absts. 6, Entry 1717).] Zeitschr. Indukt. 

 Abstamm.- u. Vererb. 26: 299. 1921. 



539. Lenz. [German rev. of: Mohr, Otto L., and Chr, Wriedt. A new type of heredi- 

 tary brachjTjhalangy in man. Carnegie Inst. Washington Publ. 295. 64 p., 7 pi., 4 fig' 1919 

 (see Bot. Absts. 5, Entry 1584).] Zeitschr. Indukt. Abstamm.- u. Vererb. 26: 300. 1921. 



540. Little, C. C. A note on the human sex ratio. Proc. Nation. Acad. Sci. [U. S. A.] 

 6: 250-253. 1 fig. 1920.— The records of the Sloane Maternity Hospital in New York City 

 were studied for sex ratio among progeny of certain types of matings, and an analysis is at- 

 tempted by contrasting the sex ratios of the offspring of primipara with those of subsequent 

 birth. The 5 categories of matings were: European "pure," European "hybrid," United 

 States white, British West Indies colored, and United States colored. The following con- 

 clusions may be drawn: (1) Hybrid white matings give a significant excess of males over pure 

 white matings; (2) hybrid colored matings give a significant excess of females over relatively 

 "pure" colored matings; (3) the difference between the sex ratio of the United States born 

 whites and the United States born colored is 9 times its probable error; (4) in "pure" European 

 matings the offspring of primipara have a sex ratio of 115.51 =•= 1.5, while the offspring from 

 subsequent births have a. ratio of 97.33 =*= 1.18, — a difference 9.7 times its probable error; 

 (5) in the hybrid matings studied no such difference between the sex ratio of offspring of 

 primipara and of subsequent births exists; (6) the sex ratio of the L'nited States white births 

 recorded is not significantly different from that of hybrid European matings. — H. H. Laughlin. 



