REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, 1914. 21 



studies in the relatively new field of departures from normality 

 in mankind. The variety of agencies employed in this wide 

 range of inquiry now includes a permanent staff of about twenty 

 members and a physical equipment enlarged during the year by 

 the completion of an additional laborator}^ and a power-house. 

 Early in the year the facilities of the department were increased 

 by the successful transfer, from Chicago to Cold Spring Harbor, 

 of the remarkable collection of pedigreed pigeons recently 

 acquired by the Institution from the estate of Professor CO. 

 Whitman. 



Among the numerous researches of the j^ear to which attention 

 is given in the departmental report, there may be cited, as of 

 special interest, those of the Director in human heredity, those of 

 Dr. Blakeslee and Dr. Gortner on mucors, those of Dr. Riddle on 

 the Whitman pigeons, those of Dr. Harris on the characteristics 

 of seeds, and those in cytology by Mr. Metz. It is of particular 

 interest to note that, in all of these, definite, measurable relations 

 are anticipated as attainable, just as such relations are now 

 assumed to be attainable in the older physical sciences. The 

 Director accepted an invitation from the New Zealand Govern- 

 ment and from the British Association for the Advancement of 

 Science to take part in a series of scientific conferences held in 

 Australasia during the past summer. Dr. Shull, of the depart- 

 mental staff, spent the year in Berlin preparing his account of 

 the horticultural work of Luther Burbank. The department 

 expresses regret at the loss from its staff of Dr. R. A. Gortner, 

 who has resigned to accept a position in the University of Min- 

 nesota. His abilities as an investigator and his capacity for 

 effective cooperation won high regard from his colleagues. 



An instructive example of the favorable progress, which may 

 be confidently expected in any field of research when entered by 

 Geophysical ^^ adequately manned and equipped department 

 Laboratory, devoted solely thereto, is afforded by the experi- 

 ence of the Geophysical Laboratory. In less than a decade this 

 establishment has not only accomplished the formidable task of 

 constructing the necessary apparatus and of preparing many 



