272 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



brates, and unicellular plants and animals Indicate that the function of salts 

 Is to render the surface film of the cells of the body less permeable to liquids 

 that otherwise might interfere with the normal processes within the cells. 

 The dynamic effect of salts is not discussed. 



Atmospheric variation as a factor in organic evolution, D. Traill (So. 

 African Jour. Sci., 7 {1911), No. 7, pp. 290-305). — The author's argument is 

 that since the first organisms appeared on earth there has been a steady with- 

 drawal of carbon from the atmosphere, and though heat, cold, drought, famine, 

 and other factors have been at work they are in the nature of oscillations. 

 Atmospheric variation is considered to be the dominant factor in organic evolu- 

 tion, and it is predicted that at a date not far distant all life on this planet 

 must come to an end because of carbon hunger, unless there is some new source 

 of carbon. 



The fi.rst principles of heredity, S. Heebert {London, 1910, pp. 199; ahs. 

 in Lancet [London], 1910, II, Ko. Jt553, p. 1618). — A work which presents in a 

 popular form the problems connected with reproduction, inheritance of acquired 

 characters, and the inheritance of diseases. 



Investigation on inheritance, W. Johannsen {Fortschr. Naturiv. Forsch,, 

 3 {1911), pp. 71-136, figs. 27). — A general summary of work during the past 

 80 years, with special reference to Mendelian inheritance and the genotype 

 theory. 



The distribution of pure line means, J. A. Harris {Amer. Nat., ff5 {1911), 

 No. 539, pp. 686-700). — Roemer's recent work with peas is analyzed to show that 

 a series of averages which can be arranged in a symmetrical variation polygon 

 does not necessarily prove the existence of differentiated pure lines. 



Notes on two crosses between different races of pigeons, T. H. Morgan 

 (Biol. Bui. Mar. Biol. Lab. Woods Hole, 21 {1911), No. 4, pp. 215-221, figs. 

 6). — In a cross between a white fantail and a " swallow " pigeon the F2 genera- 

 tion was intermediate in the number of tail feathers, feathers on legs, and color. 

 The crest was dominant. Segregation was practically complete for the feathers 

 on the legs. The most interesting result of a cross between the turbit and the 

 starling was the failure of the reversed feathers on the breast to reappear in 

 the second generation. 



On color and color-pattern inheritance in pigeons, J. L. Bonhote and F. W. 

 Smalley {Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1911, III, pp. 601-619, pis. 7/ ).— Though the 

 results reported in this paper are to a large extent confirmatoi'y of Mendelian 

 inheritance, it is stated that there are some problems which that hypothesis 

 fails to meet, such as the differences of shades in the same color, the predomi- 

 nance of one sex in certain colors, the gradual increase of the white in grizzles 

 and mealies in successive generations, and the apparently large predominance 

 of homozygous chequers and heterozygous grizzles. 



The Mendelian conclusions reached are summed up as follows: Silver is 

 dilute blue ; blue is dominant to silver ; chequeiing is dominant to its absence 

 (i. e., a self-color) ; grizzling is dominant to its absence (i. e., a self-color) ; 

 grizzling is dominant to chequering, though the impure dominants may some- 

 times be easily distinguished ; a mealy is a grizzled bird with the white wholly 

 or partially replaced by red ; red in a mealy is apparently dominant to white, 

 and hence a mealy is dominant to a grizzle; white and grizzling when they 

 have met combine together and have a common inheritance; red combines with 

 grizzling in the same way as does white. 



For a better understanding of terms used to denote the colors of pigeons, 

 chequering, grizzling, mealy, blue, silver, and red are defined, 



