564 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



ANIMAL PRODUCTION. 



Modem problems of biology, C. S. Minot (PMladelpJiia, 1913, pp. IX-\-124, 

 figs. 53). — This is a series of lectures delivered at the University of Jena 

 dealing with the following subjects : The new cell doctrine, cytomorphosis, the 

 doctrine of immortality, the development of death, the determination of sex, 

 and the notion of life. 



The general trend of development and inheritance problems, A. Greil 

 (Richtlinien des Entwicklungs- und VererbungsproUems. Jena, 1912, vols. 1, 

 pp. 352; 2, pp. S64). — These volumes are an enlargement on material previously 

 reported (E. S. R., 27, p. 175). 



Some phenomena of species hybridization among pheasants, G. P. Mudge 

 (Anat. Anz., 45 {1913), No. 8-9, pp. 221-224).— It was observed that the first 

 hybrid generation derived from a Silver female and a Swinhoe male " appears 

 to manifest a translocation of a plumage character not only from the female 

 sex of one of the parental species to the opposite sex of the hybrid, but from 

 one body region of the female of the species to another body region of the oppo- 

 site sex of the hybrid." It is also suggested that " not only does the male of a 

 species transmit some of the secondary sexual characters of the female of his 

 species, but that the female of a species may transmit those of the male." 

 The same sort of translocation was observed in the second hybrid generation. 

 The Fa generation reproduced some Fi hybrid features together with evidence 

 of segregation of unit characters. 



With regard to the 2 central retrices there was a transposition of color or 

 pattern from the hen of one species to the cock of the hybrids, from the lateral 

 retrices of the same species to the central retrices of the hybrid, and a reversal 

 of orientation of pattern and of adjacent color areas. In the Fi generation 

 there was a transposition of the color characteristics of the primaries and sec- 

 ondaries of the Swinhoe hen to the male hybrid. In F2 there was a complete 

 segregation of one of the Swinhoe cock characters in one of the birds, in an- 

 other a new character representing a somatic mosaic of the modified pattern 

 of both parental cock species appeared, and in other members a remanifestation 

 of the hybrid polymorphism shown in Fi generation. 



It is stated that conclusions drawn from these observations can only be ten- 

 tative and provisional, awaiting further investigations along this line. 



The establishment of a race of white canaries, Maud S. Mabtin (Sci. 

 Amer. Sup., 76 (1913), No. 1982, pp. 41O, 411)-—^ Pure white hen canary, the 

 sport offspring from ordinary buff parents and very much inbred, was mated 

 with an unrelated buff cock. Three buff cocks and 3 buff hens were reared 

 from this mating. These were then mated, producing 48 buff chicks and 18 

 white ones. Three buff hens from Fi were mated to their sons, the white 

 cocks of F2 producing 14 buff chicks and 26 white ones. The 3 white hens 

 from F2 were mated to the white cocks F2, producing 25 white chicks and no 

 buffs, thus proving their recessive character. Six buff hens from F2 were 

 mated to white cocks of F2, 2 of them giving only buff birds, presumably domi- 

 nants; the other 4 having 16 buff and 27 white, evidently hybrids or impure 

 dominants. A race of white canaries has thus been established which breed 

 true to color and obey the Mendelian laws, producing dominants, hybrids, and 

 recessives. 



Tables for calculating coeflacients of inbreeding, R. Pearl and J. R. Miner 

 (Maine Sta. Bui. 218 {1913), pp. 191-202).— This, bulletin furnishes tables for 

 the calculation of coefficients of inbreeding, described and explained in a 

 former publication (E. S. R., 30, p. 66). 



