20 CYTOLOGY [Bot. Absts., Vol. IV, 



in general biology of the type specified above ought not to be offered to elementary students, 

 either as a cultural study or in preparation for advanced work in botany and zoology. The 

 article contains a summary of opinions obtained by a questionnaire which was sent to 105 

 botanists and 65 zoologists, and by a series of letters loaned by Professor Margaret C. Fer- 

 guson, of Wellesley College. In effect the opinion of many botanists and zoologists is that 

 theoretically a course in general biology, such as the one mentioned above, may seem de- 

 sirable; practical^ it is not. The reasons are as follows: (1) Such a course is too dependent 

 for its success on the personnel of its teaching staff; (2) It is a hybrid course; (3) It lays 

 too much stress on abstract principles and too little on concrete facts; (4) It tends to give 

 the student the impression that he has something he does not possess; (5) For students who 

 plan to take further work in either botany or zoology it is especially disadvantageous; (6) 

 In an institution having two distinct departments such a course should not be given by one 

 of these departments; (7) The general biology course owed its perpetuation, as it did its 

 inception, primarily to the zoologists. The nature of elementary courses in the biological 

 sciences should be as follows: there should be two distinct courses, — elementary botany or 

 plant biology, taught by a botanist, and elementary zoology or animal biology, taught by a 

 zoologist; each of these courses should aim to achieve a two-fold end. It should serve as an 

 introduction to more advanced courses, and it should also satisfy the requirements of the 

 student for whom it will constitute the only biological course. It is felt by many botanists 

 and zoologists that special courses in the biological sciences should be arranged for the ben- 

 efit of students who wish to take but one course in this field. — .4. H. Chivers. 



164. Shaw, Ellen Eddy. Sixth annual garden exhibit for Brooklyn boys and girls. 

 Brooklyn Bot. Gard. Rec. 8: 138-142. Oct., 1919. 



165. Weaver, J. E. The quadrat method of teaching ecology. Plant World 21: 267-283. 

 Fig. 1-7. 1918. — The value of the quadrat method of studying vegetation in the solution of 

 economic and scientific field problems is discussed, and its usefulness in teaching ecology 

 pointed out. Illustrative quadrat studies are presented, dealing with the vegetation of salt 

 flats, prairies and ruderal associations. — Chas. A. Shull. 



CYTOLOGY 



Gilbert M. Smith, Editor 

 Geo. S. Bryan, Assistant Editor 



166. Carter, Nellie. Studies on the chloroplastlds of Desmids. I. Ann. Botany 

 33:213-254. PI. 14-18. 1919. II. Ibid. 33: 295-304. PI. 19-20. 1919.— This investigation, 

 based in part upon the extensive collections of G. S. West, is an attempt at the systematic 

 study of the chloroplast structure in the different genera of the Desmids. The author finds 

 that in the lower members of the family, the Saccodermae, the chloroplast is simple in struc- 

 ture whereas in the higher members of the Placodermae the chloroplast is frequently a com- 

 plicated structure. In the species with complex chloroplasts the structure is usually con- 

 stant for any species. — The number and position of the pyrenoids is determined by the size 

 and shape of the chloroplast. When the chloroplast is of any size there are many pyrenoids. 

 The number of pyrenoids is not constant in any semicell but the areas of pyrenoid formation 

 are quite definite. Variation in pyrenoid number is dependent upon the varying physiolo- 

 gical condition of the cell. — The nature of the chloroplast of several species in Netrium, 

 Closterium, Tetmemorus, Euastrum, Xanthidium, and Micrasterias is discussed in detail. 



167. Chamberlain, C. J. Cytology of the basidium. [Rev. of : Fitzpatrick, H. M. The 

 cytology of Eocronartium muscicola. Amer. Jour. Bot. 5: 397-419. 3 pi. 1918. (See Bot- 

 Absts. 1, Entry 1322.)] Bot. Gaz. 67: 376. 1919. 



