BIOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL — DAVENPORT. 97 



transformiste," an idea taken up in turn by the late George J. Romanes in 

 England, and which has fruited in the present Station for Experimental 

 Evolution. 



Geheimrath Dr. August Weismann, professor of zoology at Freiburg. 

 His v^ell-known theories of evolution are guiding experimental investiga- 

 tions not only in his own laboratory but wherever such work is done. 



Dr. Vernon L. Kellogg, professor of entomology at Stanford Univer- 

 sity, who has made extensive studies on variability in insects and has 

 instigated a number of important investigations on inheritance in this 

 group. 



WORK OF SUBSIDIARY DEPARTMENTS. 



The library remains an important adjunct of our work. The current 

 journals are reviewed frequently and many of the ideas gleaned from 

 them have been the starting points of new investigations or improved 

 methods. The total number of bound volumes and pamphlets is 981, an 

 increase during the year of 406. The hbrary has been kept in fair shape 

 by the attention during a few minutes of each day of one of the staff, 

 supplemented by certain assistance paid for by the hour. 



CARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLANT. 



The main building proves to be highly satisfactory for our work. A 

 smart blaze in the basement, due to the carelessness of a workman, oc- 

 curred in the middle of the night, but was confined to the room in which it 

 started by the fire-resisting nature of the construction. The small size of 

 the building necessitates that it be used in the future almost exclusively 

 for making, storing, and working over the records (including photo- 

 graphs) for the library and for the cytological and administration depart- 

 ments. The carpenter shop will be removed to a commodious building 

 which we obtained at the cost of removal to its present site on our 

 grounds. The plant cultures were transferred during the early winter to 

 the new propagating house, which has proved of the greatest assistance 

 in enabling us to hasten the succession of plant generations. The insect 

 experiments at present occupy two large rooms in the main building. 

 These experiments will be transferred to the vivarium, which is now 

 being roofed in and will be ready for use in the spring. One of the rooms 

 thus set free will be partitioned oiT into investigators' rooms. As soon as 

 the bird house can be built the canaries now in the main building will be 

 moved from it. Additional greenhouse room is demanded and will be 

 provided as soon as feasible. The brooder-house was equipped in the 

 spring with a heating plant and has been of the greatest assistance in 

 rearing the young chicks. Forty colony houses for laying stock were 

 erected on a lot near the Station grounds. They were made portable, so 



7— YB 



