38 GENETICS [BoT. Absts., Vol. VIII, 



252. Elderton, Ethel M. On the inheritance of the finger-print. Biometrika 13: 57-91. 

 1920. — Historical sketch of Galton's collection of finger-prints from 2300 persons and treat- 

 ment of the material. The "natural order" of variation is discussed and the series "arch, 

 small loop, large loop, composite, whorl" is provisionally adopted for the present investi- 

 gation. — The data are first treated from the "Mendelian standpoint" and the results consid- 

 ered "unsatisfactory." They are then discussed more at length from the "biometric stand- 

 point," and 102 distribution tables, comprising various relationships from parents to cousins, 

 are presented and correlations determined by the method of "mean square contingency." 

 The conclusion is reached that "it is extremely probable that finger-prints are inherited at the 

 same rate as other physical characters, but the type characteristic of any finger in the parent, 

 while most likely to pass to the like finger in the offspring, may easily pass to the homo- 

 logous finger of the other hand or indeed to any other finger whatever, of the offspring." 

 Inexplicably low values are obtained for the resemblance in finger-prints between cousins. 

 The larger part of the Galton data is restricted to "forefinger" prints and is, therefore, insuffi- 

 cient for more than indications of the direction of research. To the heavier task of collecting 

 "complete sets of family finger-prints .... the Galton Laboratory is now addressing 

 itself." — Howard J. Banker. 



253. Engledow, F. L. The inheritance of glume length and grain length in a wheat cross. 

 Jour. Genetics 10: 109-134. 1 fig. 1920. — Results of a wheat cross between Polish (Triticum 

 polonicum L.) and Kubanka (a variety of T. durum Desf.). Glume length and kernel length 

 were studied. Glumes and kernels of Polish (P) were long while those of Kubanka (K) 

 were short. Fi was intermediate; F2 gave no plants with as long glumes as Polish and none 

 as short as Kubanka, that is, there was a "shift" toward a shorter Polonicum form and a 

 longer Kubanka type. It was possible to distinguish the parental forms and they are found to 

 follow the ratio of 1 long : 2 intermediates : 1 short. Grain length was also studied and 

 behaved in a manner similar to glume length, and author concludes: — "(1) The one factor 

 which governs the P — K glume difference also governs the P — K grain difference. (2) 

 'Shift' occurs, so that the P and K types as seen in Fj (glume and grain) are numerically 

 'shifted' forms of the true Fo type. The shifted values persist in Fs. (3) In spite of the 

 demands of the 'double-fertilization' theory, the grain appears, in so far as its length is con- 

 cerned, to belong to the same generation as the plant on which it is borne, i.e., grain length is a 

 maternal character and segregates on the 1:2:1 basis in Fj." And further that one factor 

 controls: "(1) length of glume, (2) ribs on main lamina of glume, (3) shape of tip of glume, (4) 

 curvature of keel of glume, (5) consistency of material of glume (P is 'papery,' K is more rigid), 

 (6) length of grain, (7) shape and size of cross-section of grain, (8) the angle at which the 

 embryo of the grain is set into the endosperm, (9) number and length of the hairs at the apex 

 of the grain, (10) distinctness of the outline of the apical pad of the grain ('Gipfel-polster' — 

 Kcke)." There is some relation between glume length and pubescence of the glume. The 

 heavily pubescent types are also short-glume types. — It was considered that grain length is a 

 maternal character although it is difficult to harmonize this with the double-fertilization hy- 

 pothesis. Inheritance of hollow and solid straw seems complicated and it is indicated that 

 there may be some relation between the glume-length inheritance and kind of straw. — H. H. 

 Love. 



254. Federley, Harry. Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Saugetiergametogenese I. Die 

 Spermatogenese von Mus silvaticus L. [Contribution to our knowledge of mammalian gameto- 

 genesis. I. The spermatogenesis of Mus silvaticus L.] Acta Soc. Sci. Fennicae 48: 5-37. 1 pi. 

 1919. 



255. FiGiNi, GuiDO. Intorno un cas di disgiunzione pigmentale in una infiorescenza di 

 "Antirrhinum majus" L. [A case of pigmental disjunction in an inflorescence of Antirrhinum 

 majus L.] Riv. Biol. 2: 3-5. 1920. 



256. Frimmel, F. Notiz iiber Dominanzverhaltnisse bei Fuchsienbastarden. [Note on 

 dominance relations in Fuchsia hybrids.] Zeitschr. Indukt. Abstamm.- u. Vererb. 24: 279-281. 

 1920. 



