ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 351 



so as to make easy the deterininatiou of the laws which prevailed in the 

 inheritance of color patterns in their coats. 



It was foinid that the inheritance of color patterns took place, in most cases, 

 according to Mendelian requirements, but that inheritance is both alternative 

 and blending. Since it is imi)ossible to distinguish between continuous and 

 discontinuous variations, and between blending and alternative inheritance, it 

 seems unwise to attribute evolutionary i)rocesses to one sort of evolution only. 



The cause of partial and total albinism, J. II. W. T. Reimers (Citltura, 19 

 (I'.xn), Xo. 2.L'i. lip. 2G7-.n''i). — The literature relating to this sul).iect is dis- 

 cussed in connection with bibliographical notes. The author reaches the con- 

 clusion that albinism in domestic animals is a recessive character in the 

 Mendelian sense. 



Experiments in the destruction of rats on board ship by means of liquid 

 sulphurous anhydrid, A. Chantemesse (Rec. Hyg. Pub., 35 (1905), pp. 191- 

 2l.'i). — It often becomes necessary to destroy rats on board loaded freight 

 vessels and in other situations where fabrics and provisions are stored. In 

 such cases the reagent used in killing rats must be of such a nature that it 

 does not cause serious injury to the stored materials. A long series of e.\i)eri- 

 ments was carried on with a patented apparatus which uses sulphur dioxid 

 condensed in water in the form of sulphurous acid. The apparatus is claimed 

 to add ozone to the gas during the process of its evolution. For this reason, 

 the resulting gas mixture contains both sulphur dioxid and sulphur trioxid. 



The gas was emi)loyed in the destruction of rats on board vessels loaded with 

 silk, woolen, and cotton goods, skin.s, rubber, metals, legumes, fruits, preserves, 

 etc. The injury cau.sed to these materials by the fumigation was not serious. 

 The committee which was entrusted with the sui)ervision of the ex[)eriiuents 

 reiwrts that rats are effectively destroyed b.v means of this apparatus and 

 recommends its use for the purposes specifled above. 



Destruction of rats, R. Wurtz {Hec. Hyg. Pub., 3.', (WO-J). pp. J, 73-. ',83).— 

 In the series of experiments reported by this author upon the use of a pro- 

 prietar.v ai)paratus for producing sulphur dioxid and sulphur trioxid. it was 

 found that sulphur dioxid alone is as effective as when mixed with sulphur 

 trioxid. Claims for special efficiency from the addition of sulphur trioxid 

 are therefore discredited. No objection, however, is raised to the use of the 

 machine which seems to destroy rats effectivel.v. 



Combating rats and mice, Hiltneb {Prakt. Bl. Pfianzenbau u. Scliutz, 5 

 [1907). \(). 6', pp. 61-63). — Brief mention is made of the results commonly ob- 

 tained in lighting mice and rats with infectious diseases and proprietary forms 

 of virus prepared in different laboratories. The author believes that better 

 results will be obtained from the use of a bait poisoned by barium carbonate. 



Hawks and owls from the standpoint of the farmer, A. K. Fisher (U. S. 

 Ihpt. Agr., Biol. tSurrcy Clrc. 61, pp. 18, figs. 6). — This circular is a, revised 

 form of an article published in the Yearbook for 1894 (E. S. R., 7, p. 470). 



Directory of officials and organizations concerned with the protection of 

 birds and game, 1907, T. S. Palmer (('. >S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Biol. iSnrrey Circ. 

 6.i, pp. 16). — This director.v contains in a convenient form the names of persons 

 to whom application may be made for information regarding game laws. 



List of publications of the Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture, 

 1907 (t. ,S'. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Biol. Surrey Circ. 60, pp. 7). 



Twenty-second report of the State entomologist on injurious and other 

 insects of the State of New York, 1906, E. P. Felt (.V. Y. State Mu.s. Bui. 

 no. PI). 3!)-18(;. />/.v. .}. ////.s'. 2). — During tlu» .vear under report particular atten- 

 tion was devoted to the insect pests of fruit and shade trees, the gipsy moth, 

 browu-tail moth, gall midges, aquatic insects, aud nursery inspection. The 



