472 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



[Man and animals], edited by II. Kraemer {Der Mensch und die Erde. 

 Berlin, Lcipsic, and Stuttgart, 1906, vols 1, pp. XII+500, pis. U, figs. 113; 2, 

 pp. XIII + 515, pis. Ji5, figs. 293). — The first two volumes of this series consist 

 of articles of a popular nature, written by different authors, on domesticated 

 animals and on the value of wild and domesiicated animals to agriculture, com- 

 merce, science, and medicine. 



The Vienna institution for experimental biology, C. I.,. Edwards {Pop. Scl. 

 Mo., 78 (1911). No. 6, pp. 58Jf-601, figs. 18). — An outline of the work under- 

 taken at this institution is given, together with a description of the equipment 

 employed in caring for the animals used in studying variation, inheritance of 

 functional adaptations, and other problems in horetlity and biology. 



The relation of biology to agriculture, F. R. Marshall {Pop. Set. Mo., 78 

 {1911), No. G. pp. 539-553). — An appreciation of the value to agriculture of vari- 

 ous phases of biological research. 



It is pointed out that aside from the field of economic entomologj- the studies 

 of botanists have contributed more to agriculture than those of zoologists, and 

 that the expectations of the more sanguine Mendelians have not been realized 

 because they overlooked the fact " that we are not able to originate any specific 

 character desired ; that not all characters are transmitted in accordance with the 

 Mendelian formula : and that, except for purposes of research, it is seldom 

 practicable to breed for but one single or unit character at a time." 



The measurement of natural selection, J. A. Harris {Pop. 8ci. Mo., 78 

 (1911), No. 6, pp. 521-538, figs. 7). — This is written to show that natural selec- 

 tion, like artificial selection and other factors which may affect a change in 

 type of animals and plants, is capable of direct measurement. The work already 

 done along this line is summarizeil. 



Pure lines in the study of genetics in lower organisms, H. S. Jennings 

 (Amer. Nat., Jf5 (1911), No. 530, pp. 79-89, dgm. 1). — Concrete examples are 

 given to illustrate the meaning of genotyjie. It is pointed out that in work in 

 genetics, as well as in other fields of biology, a mixture of " unknown genotypes 

 will always give confused and ambiguous results, whose significance no one can 

 know. If, on the other hand we work with single genotypes, or with known 

 combinations of them, we shall understand w^hat our results mean." 



The biometric proof of the pure line theory, J. A. Harris (Amer. Nat., Jf5 

 (1911), No. 53Jf, pp. 3'i6-363). — This paper presents the pure line theory as it 

 appears to the biometrician, and indicates methods of work which seem neces- 

 sary to the drawing of sound conclusions. 



It is stated that the work of Pearl, previously noted (E. S. R., 24, p. 675), 

 and of others can not be cited in support of the pure line theory or that selec- 

 tion in general is without effect, on the following grounds: (1) Characters 

 which are not inherited at all can not be taken to prove that selection in general 

 is ineffective; (2) improvement of any single character can not be suppcsed to 

 be unlimited; (3) selection can not in general carry a character beyond a 

 degree consistent with the optimum for maintenance and reproduction. 



Biometric arguments regarding the genotype concept. R. Pearl (Amer. 

 Nat., Jf5 (1911), No. 537, pp. 561-566). — A reply to criticisms noted above. 



Male mitochondria in fertilized ovum, F. Meves (Anat. Ans., 36 (1910), 

 No. 23-2Ji, pp. 609-614; abs. in Jour. Roy. Micros. 8oc. [London'], 1910, No. 5, 

 p. 557). — Further evidence is offered in support of the author's view (E. S. R., 

 20, p. 1169) that chondriosomes represent a primitive and hereditary sub- 

 stance in the cytoplasm. They appear to be derived from both male and female 

 germ cells. 



