172 EXPEEIMENT STATION KECOED. 



to remember that their evil effects may talie years to declare themselves, without 

 providing any recognizable subjective indications during the process. 



" Biotechnics, or the art of adjusting individuals with their environment, con- 

 sists in those modifications of the ration, of work, rest, climate, etc., necessary to 

 attain and maintain the optimum chemical and physical equilibrium." 



The metabolisin and effect of conim.on salt in healthy man, R. Tuteub 

 (Ztschr. Biol., 53 (1910) No. 7-8, lyp. 361-385). — According to the conclusions 

 drawn from the experiments reported, it is not possible to obtain daily chlorin 

 equilibrum with medium, low, or high doses of salt. When either medium or 

 small quantities of salt are taken, all of the chlorin is recovered after consider- 

 able time in the secretions. On the other hand, if repeated large quantities of 

 salt are taken, retention of chlorin in the body is noted, which persists for a time. 

 When a single large dose of salt is taken an excess of chlorin is excreted inside 

 of 48 hours. 



The chlorin content of the feces is small, being generally proportional to the 

 amount of feces. 



An increased quantity of salt, or rather the larger amount of water which is 

 taken under such conditions, is responsible for increased diuresis. Other effects 

 of salt on the urine are also considered. In general, the author concludes that a 

 regulated quantity of salt has special significance for maintaining metabolic 

 equilibrium. 



Concerning the chlorin, calcium, mag'nesium, and iron content of normal 

 human organs and also their water, protein, and fat content, A. Magnus-Levy 

 {Biovhcm. Ztschr., 2'^ {1910), \o. 3-5, pp- 363-380).— A large amount of analyti- 

 cal data is reported and discussed in comparison with the work of other investi- 

 gators. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



The theories of evolution, Y, Delage and M. Goldsmith (Lcs Theories dc 

 VEvoUition. Paris, 1909, pp. 371). — The authors of this book discuss the theories 

 of heredity by which the evolution of plants and animals has been brought 

 about in nature and under domestication. Considerable space is given to the 

 questions of the influence of environment, adaptation, and inheritance of ac- 

 quired characters. Although believing that actpiired characters are inherited, 

 the authors admit that positive proof is still lacking. 



Mendelian phenomena without De Vriesian theory, W. J. Spillman {Amer. 

 Nat., J/Jf (1910), No. 520, pp. 21-'i-228). — The author, whose views are somewhat 

 similar to those of Holmes (B. S. R., 21, p. 470), is a Mendelian but does not 

 believe in the De Vriesian doctrine that organisms are aggregates of separately 

 heritable characters. He divides Darwin's fluctuating variations, amenable 

 to the action of natural selection, into the 4 following types: (1) Variations 

 due to Mendelian recombination of characters, (2) variations not inheritable 

 as shown by the investigations of Johannsen and others, (3) variations due 

 to irregularity of distribution of chromosomes in mitosis (De Vriesian muta- 

 tion), and (4) variations due to changes in the germ plasm, which the author 

 thinks are inherited and the most important factor in evolution. Reference is 

 made to the work of Riddle, who has pointed out (E. S. R., 21, p. 374) that 

 color inheritance may be explained by cytoplasmic differences without recourse 

 to the idea of unit characters. The term " character differential " is proposed 

 in place of " character pairs," as the influential factor may be a generalized 

 function of the cell. 



A new term, " teleone," is defined as any organ, tissue, substance, or cell 

 organ which has the power of influencing the course of development. Teleones 

 derived directly from the egg are called " primary," while those arising during 



