118 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



published giving more practical results of biometric studies on the methods 

 of selecting laying hens by the use of pigmentation and other somatic char- 

 acters. While the somatic criteria employed permit the selection of the 

 birds which are laying or have recently been laying in the latter parts of the 

 year with a rather high degree of accuracy, they have not as yet been shown 

 to be suitable for the early prediction of future production. The foundation 

 for such prediction was laid in a paper on the correlation between egg-produc- 

 tion during various periods of the year, published in Genetics for January 

 1918. At present studies designed to make possible the more accurate predic- 

 tion of the future production of birds from their earlier months records are 

 imder way. The solution of this problem seems to have considerable eco- 

 nomic significance at a time when the conservation of grain feed (by the early 

 elimination of birds which would if kept make the poorest records) is a 

 matter of especial importance." 



"Cooperative work on human metabolism. — During the past two years a 

 biometric study of the Nutrition Laboratory data on basal metabolism in 

 normal men, women, and new-born infants has been under way in cooperation 

 with Dr. Benedict. This is now completed and is to be issued as publication 

 279 of the Carnegie Institution of Washington." 



