Modification of Germinal Constitution of Organisms 261 



in all katalytic action. It does not seem a plausible expla- 

 nation of germinal color variation to attempt to place it 

 upon a quantitative basis, in view of the well-known facts 

 of katalysis. Likewise, explanation of the situation as being 

 due to varying germinal strength, energy units, energy, etc., 

 does not aid, and only confuses a situation alread}' suffi- 

 ciently confusing. If by strength is meant strength of 

 katalyzer, there again a weak agent may produce a relatively 

 large result if advantageously placed and given a sufficiently 

 long time in which to act to bring about a definite result, and 

 a relatively weak agent may, under advantageous condi- 

 tions, convert a relatively enormous amount of chromogen 

 into pigment-forming substance. It would be of interest to 

 know the chemical constitution of some of the attributes; 

 in the case of albino animals, for example, is the chromogen 

 present, and is the oxidizing agent absent or vice versa? 

 It seems improbable that the oxidizing enzymes should be 

 entirely lacking, and it may be true that there is a specificity 

 in these enzymes, as has been suggested by various authors^ 

 and a specific enzyme might well be absent, and in its 

 absence there would be no production of color. 



As far as I am able to get at the processes involved in 

 the production of color variations by means of incident 

 physical and chemical factors, it seems that the change is 

 one which involves the entire mechanism of the cell, and 

 is not resident in any particular part thereof. By experi- 

 mental means I have produced a modified condition of 

 coloration, and in this the interactions of chromogen and 

 katalyzer are conditioned in their appearance and inter- 

 action during ontogeny by the mass in which they are, and 

 are entirely dependent upon the capacity of the mass to 

 retard, accelerate, or extend the rate and time of action, 



