BIOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL — DAVENPORT. Id 



about the middle of May. The grandchildren of these hibernating adults 

 mature in late August and early September and then hibernate, although 

 a few lay eggs which give rise to a weak additional generation. With- 

 out much doubt, then, a three-generation-a-year strain can be developed. 

 The beetles are fairly easy to rear. The chief difficulty has been the 

 danger of introducing wild eggs or larvae with the food. It is planned 

 to grow the food next summer under glass and also inside of a large 

 netting tent in the garden. A study of the inheritance of the 3-brooded 

 vs. the 2-brooded condition may prove interesting; also the inheritance 

 of various physiological characters. The main objects of the experiment, 

 however, are to test the inheritance of the color pattern and to attempt 

 to find out the cause of the variation which ranges from light spots on a 

 dark ground to dark spots on light ground. The range already worked 

 with is shown in the accompanying figures. 



Pattern a acts as a Mendelian dominant to patterns c, d, and e. A 

 special study of the variable recessive group and an analysis of pattern 

 b will be attempted next season. The lighter forms are southern. This 

 fact would point to a relation between temperature and color pattern. A 

 little work was done along this line this summer and more will probably 

 be done next. The possibility of changing at will definitely inherited color 

 patterns by slightly altering temperature conditions is worth investi- 

 gating. 



During the winter certain biometric work will be carried on; also a 

 study of the color pattern of Crioceris asparagii from morphological and 

 phylogenetic viewpoints. Material for these investigations is being pro- 

 cured. 



REPORT OF MISS ANNE M. LUTZ. 



In order to repeat under more favorable conditions the experiments 

 undertaken last year with the buckwheat {Fagopyruni fagopyrum), a 

 new lot of 52 plants was grown in the greenhouse, blossoming in April 

 and May. It was possible here to guard securely against pollination by 

 insects and to be certain of results. This first lot produced such an 

 excess of abnormal blossoms that it was considered unreliable material 

 for preservation and was abandoned ; the second potting of 1 10 plants 

 came to bloom in June. The primary object was to fix material for 

 histological study which would throw light upon the sterility of long- 



