862 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. I Vol. 41 



proteins of Peroruyscus lenses, produced young, a few of which had liquified 

 instead of fibrous crystalline lenses. It is held that the lenses excited the 

 production of specific antibodies in the fowl blood, and that these in turn at- 

 tacked in utero the lenses of the young of the species used as antigen. The 

 lenses of the mothers were not altered. 



Observations on the relation between suckling and the rate of embryonic 

 development in mice, W. B. Kirkham {Jour. Expt. Zool., 27 (1918), A'o. 1, pp. 

 49-55). — The author reports experiments and enibryological investigations 

 showing that the delay which he had previously discovered (E. S. R., 40, p. 

 469) in the implantation of embryos in the utei-us of female mice simultane- 

 ously pregnant and lactating is induced by full functional activity of the 

 manuiiary gland. The extent of the delay seems not to be correlated with the 

 size of the suckling litter. The influence of the gland varies markedly in 

 different individuals. 



The experimental prodiiction of hypotypical ovaries through underfeed- 

 ing. — A contribution to the analysis of sterility, L. Loeb (Biol. BuL Mar. 

 Biol. Lab. Woods Hole, 83 (1911), No. 2, pp. 91-115).— In a series of experi- 

 ments 26 sexually mature female guinea pigs received their accustomed feeds — 

 oats and green feed — in amounts not sufficient to maintain body weight for 

 from 6 to 33 days. In most cases the weight decreased 25 to 35 per cent. Of 

 8 animals intended as controls, 1 lost 20 per cent of her weight in spite of 

 abundant feed but the others maintained weight, ovulated normally, and 3 

 became pregnant. In 18 of the experimental animals and in the exceptional 

 control the ovaries became definitely hypotypical — that is, atresia of follicles set 

 in before the follicles reached .normal size. In such animals ovulation is effect- 

 ually prevented and the animals are sterile, at least temporarily. The uterus 

 was found to be in a resting condition. The connective tissue of the ovary 

 was more resistant to the experimental treatment than the granulosa cells. 



The concrescence of follicles in the hypotypical ovary, L. Loeb (Biol. Bui. 

 Mar. Biol. Lab. Woods Hole, 33 (1911), No. 3, pp. 181-195) .—The author de- 

 scribes the ovaries of an underfed guinea pig, in which the hypotypical con- 

 dition was so advanced that the connective tissue was affected and neighboring 

 follicles became united. " The concrescence of ovarian follicles is analogous 

 to the union of neighboring acini in the mammary gland and thyroid. It is a 

 phenomenon which occurs probably in all or the majority of glandular struc- 

 tures." 



The effect of alcohol on the reproductive tissues, A. H. Arlitt and H. G. 

 Wells (Jonr. Expt. Med., 26 (1911), No. 6, pp. 169-17S, pis. 4).— Male and fe- 

 male white rats, mostly 6 to 9 months old, were given daily doses of ethyl 

 alcohol with the food for a period of time and were then killed. Histological 

 preparations were made of the reproductive and other tissues. 



The treatment resulted in no apparent changes in the lungs, liver, kidneys, 

 spleen, stomach, heart, or ovaries, but profound disturbances were found in 

 the testes of 14 of the 15 males. The seminiferous tubules were reduced in size 

 witli compensatory edema of the intertubular tissue. Spermatozoa were absent 

 in some cases, in others they were reduced in number or lacked tails, and in 

 still others spermatids were numerous but apparently had been prevented from 

 undergoing further transformation. Individual tubules of the same testis 

 often showed considerable differences and individual differences between males 

 were marked. The daily dosage varied from 0.25 to 2.25 cc. and the period 

 of administration from 2 to 10 months, but it was found impossible to corre- 

 late the intensity of the histological changes with the severity of treatment. 



MeasurenuMits, made by C. T.. Cliapin, of the diameter of the seminiferous 

 tubules of each individual are recorded. 



