472 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. 



tinoider oder anderer Art) oder ist sie ein normaler Zustand hochgeziichteter 

 Rasscn? Iikukj. Disi^., Univ. Bern, 1911, pp. 31). — From studies of swine the 

 author concludes that early maturity is not a pathological condition, similar to 

 cretinism, but that it is an abnormal tendency toward the deposition of an 

 excessive amount of fat in the tissue brought about by changes in feeding and 

 breeding. 



A bibliography is appended. 



Studies of brachymelia in domesticated animals, E. Plattnee (Studien 

 ubcr die " B rachymclie " bei Haustieren und deren Ursachen. Inaug. Diss., 

 Univ. Bern, 1911, pp. 77+///, i)ls. 10).— A study of fetal tissues of brachy- 

 melic animals led to the conclusion that short-leggedness as in the dachshund, 

 Ancon sheep, etc., is a condition quite diffei'ent from rachitis, being a hypo- 

 plastic form of Chondrodystrophia fcetalis. It appears as a mutation and is 

 inherited similarly to other dominant characters. 



A bibliography is appended. 



A study of dark pigmentation in domesticated animals, H. Thal (Sttidien 

 iiber die DunkcJfdrhiiiig hoi Haustieren. Inaug. Diss., Univ. Bern, 1910, pp. 

 48). — As a result of his own observations, and a survey of the literature on the 

 subject, the author reaches the conclusion that a strong constitution in animals 

 is associated with dark pigmentation. 



A bibliography on the subject is appended. 



Mutations in living beings, L. Blakinghem (Les Transformations brusques 

 des etres Vlvants. Paris, 1911, pp. 353, figs. .'/9). — This is a general treatise on 

 heredity and variation, in which considerable stress is laid on the importance 

 of mutation in the evolution of species and that mutations may be brought 

 about by mutilation. 



"Genotype" and "pure line," H. S. Jennings {Science, n. ser., 3-J {1911\), 

 No. 885, pp. SJfl, 8It2). — The diversities in the usage of the terms "genotype" 

 and " pure line " are pointed out. 



[Mendelian inheritance], T. H. Morgan {Science, n. ser., 34 {1911), Nos. 873, 

 p. 384; 880, pp. 636-638; 887, pp. 918, 919; Jour. Expt. Zool., 11 {1911), No. 4, pp. 

 365-421, pi. 1; Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 21 {1911), pp. 87-117, pis. ,9).— These 

 articles report the inheritance of coat colors in crossing different varieties of 

 mice. The factors concerned in the inheritance of coat color are discussed. 

 and the association hypothesis is proposed to explain cases where the presence 

 and absence hypothesis is inadequate. 



[Mendelian inheritance] {Science, n. ser., 34 {1911), Nos. 877, pp. 512, 513; 

 878, p. 563). — These are criticisms by R. A. Emerson and C. C. Little on the 

 articles noted above. 



Studies on the cattle of Africa and Polynesia and their relation to each 

 other, E. Breitung {Studien ilber die Kinder Afrikas und Polynesiens und ihren 

 Zv,sammenliang untereinander. Inaug. Diss., Univ. Bern, 1910. pp. 76, tables 5, 

 pi. 1). — Measurements of cattle in the Mariana Islands and the different types 

 in Africa are given. It is concluded that the cattle of Polynesia are of the 

 same general types as those of Africa. They were brought from South America 

 to Polynesia and Melanesia in the sixteenth century. 



A bibliography is appended. 



Investigations of the skulls of Japanese Bovidse, K. Iguchi {Jour. Col. 

 Agr. Tohoku Imp. Univ., 4 (1911), No. 4, pp. 191-213, j)ls. 5).— The author re- 

 ports measurements of skulls of different types of Japanese cattle, and compari- 

 sons are made between these and European breeds. 



East Indian cattle in Jamaica, J. D. Dreher {Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. S.], 15 {1912), No. 2, p. 38). — An account of tlie progress made in crossing 

 the zebu from India with the different breeds imported from England. 



